Softly and Sweetly
by Psyga315
Summary: Shane has moved from America to Mitakihara to help Mami cope with the loss of her parents, though little does he know of the romantic life he would enter upon moving in to his cousin's house, the friends he would make, and the tragedies that would follow...
1. Welcome to Mitakihara

{ **Author's Note:** I shall begin this by notifying you that, like with _Red Blood, White Steel, Blue Bullets_ , this will be censored in contrast to the story on Questionable Questing and Archive of our Own, though this time it'll be pretty obvious what is censored. The story will remain intact, though, but any and all lewd scenes or references to them will be struck from the story. The reason I decided to do so is because sometimes this story goes by chapters without any lewd scenes whatsoever and thus I decided "Might as well share a censored version with ". With that, enjoy the story.}

* * *

The bustling crowd of people in the Tokyo crosswalk caused me to shudder and panic. My parents were lost in the sea of people and no matter how loud I was, it felt like I would never see my parents again…

That is until I felt a soft warm hand. I turned to see my cousin. Her cute smile, her blonde hair and matching golden eyes.

"Come, your parents are this way…" I had a good understanding of Japanese thanks to my parents teaching me. I merely nodded as she lead me into the chaotic ocean of humans…

* * *

" _Thank you for riding Airmerica. Enjoy your trip to…_ _ **JAPAN**_ _._ " The automated voice woke me up as I stirred out of my seat. I looked outside to see the airport, all with a smile on my face. For the first time since that day, I get to see my cousin.

Though, once I remembered the reason, I frowned. About a week ago, my folks and I got the word that my aunt and uncle were killed in a car accident, her daughter being the only one to have survived via a miracle. We had a discussion on what was to happen, and while the idea of her living with us in America was suggested, the fact that I was going to be a transfer student to Japan mixed with the worry that she might not want to travel to America made it decided.

I would move in with my cousin for as long as it takes, effectively leaving my life behind in America. Not that I minded. When I first met my cousin, she was rather nice to me and loved me like a little brother. I now want to return the favor and help her cope with the death of her parents.

Though, it had been about five years since I last saw her… Would she be able to recognize me? Would I recognize _her_?

"Shane! Over here!" I turned to see a woman in a school uniform, particularly the one seen in Mitakihara Middle School, the school I'd be transferring to. I blinked for at her for a moment. Her height was definitely that of a middle schooler, even a _high_ schooler, but her bust, the way she walked, and even her voice indicated someone much older. As she approached me, I ended up seeing my cousin's golden eyes and blonde hair, though how the pigtails were curled into little ringlets.

"Mami? Is that you?" I asked her. She just nodded and pulled me into a hug, my head pressed up against her chest. "MMMPHHMM!" I cried out.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Her hug was both crushing _and_ comforting. She nuzzled into my shoulder. "You had _no_ idea how lonely I was…" I blushed…

Oh boy… What the hell was I getting myself into?

* * *

Mami and I took a short bus ride home to the city of Mitakihara, where she seemed to live in her parents' place, though it had changed quite a lot. For one, the living room changed into a more relaxed dining room akin to a café. There was a sparse amount of furniture. One low ended glass table in the shape of a triangle rested on a green carpet. There was a couch by it, which I rested my back against.

"I prepared something for you…" Mami went to the kitchen and a moment or two later, took out a slice of vanilla cake with a cup of tea. My eyes widened as she set the two down.

"W-wow…" I said.

"I thought we'd celebrate your arrival." She smiled. I instantly dug into the cake, taking one piece at a time and allowing the icing to fill my mouth. I hummed and grinned. "It's good, isn't it?" She asked. I quickly nodded and took another bite. "There'll be more where that came from." You know, living with Mami is probably gonna be better than I had originally thought. As soon as I was done with the cake, I sipped the tea… then shuddered. It felt weird having water go down my throat, only to taste a hint of grass. "Not your favorite, huh?" Mami asked.

"Yeah, I never really had tea before…" I said.

"Don't worry, it's an acquired taste." Suddenly, I felt a huge yawn. "Ah, you must have had a long ride here!" She looked to me. I noticed that she had a silver ring on her finger with a topaz embedded into it. Her ring finger also had a strange cross-like marking on her nail. If that wasn't weird enough, the topaz began to glow. She hummed a bit and proceeded to pick me up. "Why don't you go for a nap? I'll be back soon." She carried me upstairs to her room.

Once there, she placed me on her large bed, my body gently bounced onto it before Mami tucked the blanket over me.

"Don't worry, you're safe now…" Mami pressed her lips against my forehead and left her room. Admittedly, I felt sleepy as my eyelids grew heavier and heavier. Jetlag was catching up to me and I drifted off… off… off…

* * *

A light woke me up, though I was still too drowsy to understand what was going on. I heard the sound of fabric rustling off, a brief cry, followed by a comforting sigh. Before I had time to fall asleep, I felt someone else enter the bed and pull me into hug. From what little I could see, I knew it was Mami. She hugged me like I'm some sort of teddy bear. My head was shoved right into her chest. However, I was too tired to fight back and with her soft, warm hands holding me, I had no reason to.

Just before I fell asleep, I felt a soft and sweet pair of lips on my forehead and a hushed whisper: "Goodnight, Shane…" Then, my vision went black as I fell into a deep sleep.


	2. The Promise We Made

I stirred awake as I could feel a large source of warmth tightly wrapped around me. I could hear soft snores coming from this source. As I opened my eyes, I saw Mami as she held me, her pigtails having been undone. Her hair seemed surprisingly long. I stroked my hand through her hair. It felt so soft… I was able to wrestle myself out of her hold without much trouble… Though as I separated from Mami, I heard her whimper as her arms pulled back. She wore a very pretty nightgown, pinkish orange with flower decorations on them.

I gave her a tight hug as her eyes opened up.

"Morning Shane…" She gave a smile.

"M-morning, Mami…" I said to her. I let go as Mami got up from the bed.

"That was a really nice sleep I had. Did you have a good one as well?" Mami asked.

"Yeah..." I looked at how beautiful Mami had become. Her body had grown up in all the right places...

Focus! She's your cousin!

"It must be embarrassing sharing a bed with a family member at this age," _especially_ if said family member has a huge rack, "but if it makes you feel any better, I really enjoyed it."

"M-me too…" I can't help but admit that I was very comfortable sleeping in Mami's arms.

"I'll go make breakfast. In the meanwhile, you should shower up." Mami said. I nodded and went.

* * *

The shower and subsequent breakfast were quick, all things considered, though it wasn't without reason. Mami wanted me to check out the new school I was to be transferred to. Our trip was a rather long one. It started out okay, though I felt like I was in a bliss-like state. It wasn't helped by the fact that Mami held my hand throughout the walk. I didn't mind that as much as sharing a bed with her, since that was a sign of her taking responsibility for me.

We stopped at Mitakihara Middle School. It looked like a masterpiece of glass sheets layered to make a wall. It shimmered like diamonds. My jaw dropped.

"You like it, huh?" Mami asked me with a smile so serene that I forgot for a brief moment that she was even my cousin and instead a beautiful idol that I would see on YouTube.

"Y-yeah!" I said. I began to jump up and down. "I can't wait to come here!"

"E-eh-easy!" Mami chuckled. She looked at me and smiled a bit.

* * *

After we looked at the school, Mami walked me over to some other places of interest, though the most strangest place was the park. Nothing too crazy, but when Mami and I passed by a grassy area, I noticed she tensed up.

"Something the matter?" I asked her. Mami shook her head.

"N-no… It's fine." I know when a facade is put up. At the same time, I didn't want to press on.

"We've been walking for a while…" My head pointed to the benches. Mami squeezed my hand before she nodded. Now I _knew_ something was up. Whatever it was, Mami seemed to not want to be at this place. I sat next to Mami on a bench by the water fountain. It looked so colorful and beautiful, but now that I mention it, it's starting to be a commonly used word throughout the city. Everything was great. I curse God for not putting me _here_ sooner.

Mami just sat there, her eyes fixed to the grassy field. My head, meanwhile, slumped over onto Mami's arm. She felt so comfortable. I'd rest on her lap, but that'd be taking it too far. Mami just hummed and held me close to her.

"I won't let go of you, no matter what, okay?" Mami asked. It sounded so out of left field...

"Mami… Did something happen?" I asked.

"N-no… I just love you that much is all." She replied. Love… In a way, I loved her too. She was there when I was lost in Tokyo, and during my visit to Japan back when I was young, she devoted so much to help me learn how to get around Tokyo. I even remembered a time when it was just me and her riding on a subway. She never left my side during the ride when the crowds got too much and the darkness filled the train.

Perhaps that's why I sharing her bed. Perhaps I had developed a crush on her… No! What am I saying? She's my cousin! I can't have thoughts of incest! And yet… She's so beautiful… So kind… So caring… I can't help but fall in love with her…

I can't help but fall asleep on her shoulder…

* * *

I soon woke up on Mami's back as she carried me.

"You're a light sleeper." Mami said.

"H-how long was I out for?" I asked.

"Fifteen minutes… You're very cute when you're asleep." Mami's voice right now was so soothing that I wouldn't mind going another five minutes had it not been for her putting me down. "Now…" Mami took out a purse and dug into it before she pulled a few yen notes. "I'm going to be busy for a bit… Why don't you treat yourself to something nice at the mall?" As she said that, I looked around. Sure enough, we were in the middle of a picturesque shopping centre. The surprise of its beauty had waned thanks to everything else in Mitakihara. Mami knelt to me and smiled.

"I'll be back, don't worry." With that, she got up and left. I looked around… What the hell was I gonna do in a shopping center? Unless...

My eyes picked up a music shop ninety degrees to my right and I made a bee-line. In the years between my first trip to Japan and now, I had picked up a taste for a certain kind of music. One as equally soothing as Mami's own presence: classical music. Particularly the kind played with violin. There was an allure to it that I can't quite grasp. I've been looking for a new CD after I wore out the last one on my walkman… Yes, I still use those.

Grabbing one should be easy. Just look for a good enough cover and title, aaaaaand…

Grab!

Only, my hand touched something other than the CD case. It was another hand. My head quickly snapped to whoever it was beside me and immediately it was like a romantic comedy about to ensue.

She had short blue hair, gorgeous blue eyes, looked to be around my age, and wore a plain white shirt, blue jeans, and a blue jacket. I took notice of her hairclips, which looked cute on her. I immediately retract my hand.

"S-sorry…" I blushed. She just blinked at me.

"You… Like classical music as well?" She asked me.

"W-w-well, y-yes… B-b-but you got it first, so it's all yours." I said to her. She picked it up.

"It's funny. Normally, people wouldn't expect me to be a big fan of the classics." She smiled. Her voice was nice and peppy, always keeping you engaged in what she had to say.

"Same with me. I mean, I use it to help me sleep and all that. A-any reason _y-you_ like it?" I blushed.

"... It's… Well, I'm really buying this for a friend." The bright smile she had waned into a frown. "He was in a nasty accident about a week ago. Doctors tried as much as they could, but…" I frowned as well.

"I'm… sorry for your loss." I said. She blinked and her frown turned into a scowl.

"W-what!? No! I mean… His…" It was for a brief moment before she returned to being sad. "He was really great at the violin. Like, the best at it. His skills were the stuff of legends. But… after the accident… He… lost the use of his hands." She held onto the case tightly. "I don't want him to lose hope, so I'm going to give him music to help him."

"He must be really lucky to have a friend like you." It came out of my mouth like vomit. I didn't even realize what I said until it was too late.

"Yeah. We were friends back when we were children." She gave a soft smile and a blush. The same kind of smile and blush I had when I was with Mami.

"You like him?" I asked.

"Yeah, I… H-hey! Mind your business! We don't even know each other!" Her face went red as a beet and pointed at me after she stepped away.

"W-well, my name is Shane," I kept a smirk, as she looked super adorable.

"... My name is Miki." She said.

"Nice to meet you, Miki." I gave her my hand. She looked away before she grabbed a CD and gave it to me.

"Here. The songs here are pretty great. I especially like Track 8." Her eyes drifted away a bit, though she looked at me. I took the CD and grinned.

"Thanks." I said. I looked at the CD and smiled… In front of her. As I went to purchase it away from her, I frowned. _If only she didn't see her friend that way…_ The feelings I had for Mami lingered into me, that cloudy feeling of love. I needed to take my mind off it.

I took out the CD and put it in my walkman. I sat down at a bench and played the walkman. I thought about Mami being next to me and I mentally replaced her with Miki. A small fix and admittedly a little dumb, but anything to take the mind off my thoughts of incest. I went to Track 8 and true to what Miki said, it was beautiful and not in the same regard as Mitakihara's place. Rather, in the form of it being so beautiful, I broke into tears. My emotions were in full swing now.

Miki was so adorable, and yet she crushes on another… Mami cares for me, yet she is my cousin… I immediately understood the theme of the song: a broken love life. I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

* * *

"Shane?" I woke up and saw Mami lightly shake me.

"Y-yeah?" I asked.

"How long were you sleeping there for?" I looked at my phone… I was about 1:00 PM when I left the store… Now it was 5 PM. The mall was in the process of closing down for the day. "Come here…" Mami picked me up and carried me, all while I heard Track 8 going on repeat.

By the time I fully woke up, we were back at her place. Mami set me by the couch as she sat next to me. She picked my head up and had it lay onto her lap as she brushed my hair.

"It's jetlag, isn't it?" She asked.

"Huh?"

"You're jetlagged. That's why you slept at the mall." Her voice seemed a little distant.

"I… guess so."

"Don't worry. You'll adjust soon." As Mami cracked a grin, I knew something was up.

"Mami, did… something happen at the park?" I asked her. Her combing stopped and she just froze. "M-mami?" I asked. She sighed.

"I…" She grabbed my hand. "When my parents died… I… I felt very lonely. I couldn't focus on my emotions though… I had to put a face on and tough out whatever fears or pains I had. But… when I'm alone… I have only tears." Mami grimaced as I saw tears well up. "But… then you came over. I became so happy because I'm not alone anymore. I had someone who can help me get through the tough times." She dodged my question.

"What happened?" I asked again, this time clearer. Mami struggled to speak. She bit her lip.

"You… wouldn't understand. L-let's just say I…" There was a pause. "I don't want to scare you."

"You're scaring me right now." I got up and straightened out.

"... I nearly died again." Mami said.

"Again?" I muttered.

"Once when I was in that car accident… The other time was last night at the park." Mami said.

"What. Happened?" My tone became serious. Mami trembled and her eyes waved over bit by bit. I realized my tone was harsh and sighed. "No… It's okay. If it's traumatizing, then you don't have to answer… Sorry just… I'm concerned for you." I said.

"... You don't have to be. I'm fine." Mami frowned.

"No. You're not." I gave her a hug as her trembling became full on tremors.

"T-this is embarrassing… I'm supposed to comfort _you_ …" Mami cried.

"You did that long ago. Now it's my turn to comfort you." I grabbed Mami by her hands. "I won't let go of you as well. I'll stay by your side for as long as it takes." I smiled. She smiled back as we stared into each other's eyes…

She then leaned into kiss me softly and sweetly on my mouth. As our lips touched, I immediately blushed.

"Did you like it?" She asked. I just sat there for a moment before I nodded. "I'm glad… I love you, Shane." She gave a smile. Damn it… She's so beautiful! So lovely! So… lonely… I felt obliged to express my feelings, even if it felt wrong.

"I… love you too." We gave each other a hug, though no kiss resulted from it.

"Did you enjoy my bed?" I nodded. "We can sleep on it if you like."

"That… would be wonderful." I gave a genuine smile as we headed up to her room. Our sleep was less awkward than last night. We cuddled together, Mami wearing her nightgown and me wearing just a loose pair of boxers. As much as I hated to think about it, as much as I tried to switch my mind on it, I had to admit the truth:

I'm in love with my cousin. My cousin is in love with me. And we're okay with that.


	3. First Day At School

Morning came once again as I woke up, I enjoyed Mami's embrace. I nuzzled her shoulder and hummed. I wanted to be in this moment for a little longer… But that's when I remembered something…

I sprung to life and got out of bed. Today was going to be my first time at school! I beamed as I decided to wake Mami up…

Only to notice she had flipped over and began sleeping on her back, her beautiful body covered with her cute pink dress. She looked so much like an angel that I was almost tempted to leave her to sleep. Though, I decided to wake her up anyways.

"Morning, Mami…" I whispered to her. She mmm'd a bit and shuffled about. I took a moment to admire her. She woke up and looked at me with a beautiful smile.

"Morning, Shane." She hushed. We got out of bed before realizing that we were pressed for time in going to school. As such, the only breakfast was what remained of the cake from two days ago. Mami managed to pack up a bento box rather quickly for us, using what she had in the fridge. With that out of the way, we went off to school.

This was the one thing I had been looking forward to next to reuniting with Mami.

* * *

Mami and I walked towards Mitakihara. I beamed as I adjusted my backpack. There wasn't much, but I expect that, by the end of the day, it'll be filled to the brim with textbooks and notebooks.

"You're awfully excited." Mami giggled a bit.

"Yeah! It's my first day at a new school!" I said.

"I take it you didn't like your old school?" Mami asked.

"N-no… Just…" I soon frowned as I slowed down. "I never really had any friends there. I was just… left out." As I said that, Mami held me.

"Ooooh, poor Shane!" My head was shoved right into her chest. As much as I wanted to break out of her hold, I wanted to last just a little longer. "We should get going though." Mami picked me up and placed me on her back. I didn't feel embarrassed that I was getting a piggyback ride from my cousin. In fact, I felt okay. I tried hard not to sleep on Mami's back. I needed to concentrate on seeing the school.

As we arrived by the gates, some of the students looked at Mami and began to murmur. She let me down and I just waved to her.

"I'll see you after school!" I said to her.

"Okay, Shane." Mami then looked to the older students as I heard her explain that I was her cousin. A little part of me felt upset. Last night, we were _more_ than that, but I understood why she would leave out the detail.

* * *

"If he doesn't wash his dishes, he is not a man, he is a child!" I stood outside my assigned class, eagerly awaiting the teacher to give me the go ahead to enter. Admittedly, I was frustrated that she was wasting my time or the time of my soon-to-be classmates over something as petty as her dating life. I was tempted to shout "get on with it", but thankfully, my teacher had some decency to cut her rant short. "You may come in now." I opened the door and walked in.

My eyes nearly widened as I saw the students all have very colorful hair that set them apart from the white, plain school uniforms we wore. There were varying shades of green, brown, pink, red and…

Blue!?

I saw Miki sitting in the middle row by the window. She looked at me with the same kind of wide eyes. I saw a girl adjacent to her whisper something, only for Miki to whisper back something about meeting me… Oh… She must have asked if she knew me. I cleared my throat.

"Ahem," the two girls stopped talking and looked at me, "hi. My name is Shane. I came here from America for…" How do I word the reason I came here? I didn't want to get too in depth with Mami's parents as it was a recent event. The school possibly knows by now anyways, especially after I saw the teacher, a rather homely girl with glasses, frown. "Family reasons. I will be here for the time being, so I hope we have a good time." Slowly but surely, everyone clapped, save for Miki.

"Your seat will be in the front row, next to Nakazawa." I looked at the boy the teacher pointed to. Nakazawa just gulped as I went over to him.

"It'll be a pleasure to work alongside you." I smiled and offered my hand. Nakazawa just sighed and shook my hand.

* * *

Class went by rather smoothly as I wrote down every note I could possibly muster from the lessons. Afterwards was lunch, as several students approached me and began to bombard me with questions.

"Is it true that you can do anything you want in America?"

"I heard there's no cats in America!"

"Your Japanese is really good! Who taught you?" Most of the questions made America out to be this mythical land that no one had ventured to except for me. The only sensible question was from a girl with green, wavy hair that looked almost like seaweed. Her voice was very pretty, as was her overall stature. I think that's why I picked her question.

"Well, my aunt. She taught me a lot of the language ever since she went there and settled with a patissier." As I said this, the pain shot into my back. I lost my aunt and uncle in that crash… My cousin only survived by what can be considered a miracle.

"Is… is something wrong?" The green-haired girl asked.

"N-no… I'm fine…" I wiped my tears. "She loved to teach me the language so that I may come over there without needing help." And yet, the pain still lingered. I needed to get away…

"Um… Excuse me?" As if by coincidence, someone broke up the questioning. I turned to see a girl with fluffy pink hair, tied into pigtails by a pair of red ribbons. I noticed that she was the girl who talked to Miki. "Shane's said to have experienced some jetlag a while back, so I'm to take him to the nurse's office." Her voice was softer than the seaweed girl's and the way she looked to me as she gave me her hand made my heart skip a beat.

I'm definitely going to the nurse's office, though it's because I'm gonna have a diabetic shock from her sweetness. I nodded and got her hand as we walked to where the nurse's office was.

* * *

"T-thank you for bailing me out of there." I said to my guide.

"It's no problem, really, wihihi…" She giggled. I just smiled and followed her.

"So… how did you know about the jetlag?" I asked.

"A senior informed the teacher. She said she was your cousin." She said.

"Yeah. She's… well, she's the reason I came." I said while I hid a frown.

"She must be really important to you then." Her soft and sweet voice hit me right where it hurts as I blurted out.

"Yeah. She is." I blushed immediately after. _Relax! She probably means that in the sense that she's my cousin!_ I sheepishly chuckled.

"That's good. We should care for our family." Relief entered my brain as she said that. "Erm… Is your English good?" She asked me.

"Yeah, why?" I asked back.

"W-well, I'm… English isn't my best topic so… I-if you want… W-would you mind tutoring me?" She asked.

"Sure!" I didn't know why I instantly answered her question. I barely knew her, and yet…

She looks very pretty and feels kind. Not to mention that her voice is quieting to the ears. So pleasurable that I wouldn't mind her reading the phone book. However, I had to make things clear.

"Though, we haven't really introduced ourselves. I'm Shane." I said.

"Kaname Madoka. I don't really mind if you call me Madoka though." There was a bit of a cultural thing where you would refer to people by their last name rather than their first name. It was like how in school, you refer to teachers as "Mr. Surname". To have someone being so open about being called by her first name in this sort of place felt… off.

"Um… O-okay, Madoka." I just blushed.

"We're here!" We finally arrived at the nurse's office. She put me into the lobby as I sat down. "Do you want me to sit next to you?" She asked me.

"Erm… Y-yes." I said. She just smiled and hummed as she sat next to me. Fortunately, the wait wasn't long as the nurse saw me, then went to go grab something. She put it over the counter as I got up to grab it. Reading the label, I quickly noted that these were caffeine pills. "Hey, am I able to take one now?" I asked the nurse. She nodded and got me a cup of water. I unscrewed the cap and took a pill out. As I got the cup, I downed the pill and suddenly, I felt perked up. I smiled and thanked the nurse, on top of thanking Madoka.

"We should get back to class." As Madoka said that, I just smiled and nodded. She led me back to class, though as she held me by her comfy hands, I couldn't help but feel great. I had a feeling like I was safe and that everything would be okay. However, I was also concerned. This was the feeling I had felt when I was with Mami last night and when I had met Miki.

Is Japan just full of incredibly cute girls that I can't help but feel infatuated with?

* * *

The rest of the day was uneventful compared to my meeting with what I could best sum up as a goddess. Solve a math problem here, run a lap there, the usual. When the final bell rang, I went to the gate. Sure enough, Mami was there waiting for me. We walked together towards home.

"So how was your day, Shane?" Mami asked.

"Great! I enjoyed it!" I said to her.

"Did you make any new friends?" Mami asked.

"W-well, just one." I said.

"What's he like?" Mami asked.

" _She_." As I said that, I didn't see any sort of shift in Mami's mood. "And… well… she's nice… friendly… cute… pretty…" I soon began to think about Madoka's smile, her kindness, her voice... "And I… I think I… I might…" My face flushed red as I tried to find the right words to say. Mami grinned.

"You're so cute when you're flustered." She pinched my cheeks.

"Y-you don't mind?" I asked her as I tried to not giggle.

"Of course not." Mami's smile soon faded. "Shane, sometimes I won't be able to walk home with you. Other times I might end up needing to leave the house. I don't want you to be lonely like I am, so… if you do have feelings for this girl, then I don't mind if you act on them." As she said that, I leaped to hug her.

"Mami! I still love you!" I blurted. Mami chuckled and patted my back.

"I know. We share a special bond, Shane. But… I might not be able to spend enough time with you, and if that's the case, then I would want you to spend that time when we're separated with someone you like." She said.

"Are… are you sure?" I asked her.

"Positive." As she said that, I kissed her on the cheek, then looked away.

"I'm not sure if I like her like her or if it's just a side effect of the caffeine pills…" I muttered.

"You'll find out soon enough, Shane." With that, Mami led me home.

Despite what she said, we had a quiet night together as we helped each other with our homework. Finally, when it was time for bed, we cuddled together. Mami slept peacefully, though the mixed feelings for Mami, Miki, and Madoka all swirled in my head and prevented me from sleeping. I smothered the thoughts for now by shoving my head into Mami's chest and using it as a pillow to sleep on. With a slight moan from Mami, I was able to sleep as I wondered what would be on the agenda tomorrow.


	4. Christmas Risotto

[Author's Note: This chapter of the story takes place chronologically after one to three months from the third chapter. Don't worry, the rest of the chapters will explore what happened within those intervening months. I just decided to do this because it's the Christmas chapter.]

* * *

Snow drifted slowly across the city skyline. It was often a nice sight, especially once the sun began to set. On the rare days when Mami didn't have any errands to run, she would sit next to me to watch as the flakes flutter down onto Mitakihara.

However, it was _not_ one of those days. Mami was out of the house and I was alone. Though, for what I had planned, I _wanted_ her to be out. It was the kind of day where Mami would tell me she'd meet me at home, only for her to come to the apartment about three hours later when I finished my homework and she's too tired to finish hers.

It had been a few months since I moved in with her and in that time, I made due with the spare time I had. I helped tutor Madoka in English on a few days, and on other days, I would go shopping with Sayaka. Today though, I decided I would surprise Mami with a gift: Christmas cake.

But not just _any_ Christmas cake. Mami was an avid baker, like her father before her, and she enjoys reading cooking magazines. I noticed how there was a pastry shop that she liked known as Charmant, located in Zawame City. It was gonna be a long trip, about an hour total, but I was determined to make the journey and get Mami a special cake.

As soon as Mami and I split, I went over to the bus stop. I skimmed the map to figure which route would take me to Zawame the fastest. The number 15 was the one. It had a lot of stops like multiple stops at Kazamino, but as I looked up on my phone, it was the fastest way to Zawame, as one of the stops was directly at the pastry shop. And so, I waited…

A minute passed as the bus pulled up. I hopped on, paid my fare, and rode the bus. The ride was pretty nice. No bumps at all. When the bus took the scenic route, I looked outside at the snowy landscape. There was no noise at all save for the calm voice announcing the next stop. I was reminded of the time Mami and I took the train together and she stayed by my side the whole ride. It all felt… relaxing… A little _too_ relaxing. I closed my eyes and nodded off…

* * *

Only to wake up at the words "Last stop." Immediately my body felt cold as I began to look around. I then saw the words appear overhead by the driver's seat: "Asunaro City Station."

The bus stopped as I immediately got out. I took out my phone and noticed three missed calls from Mami, a text from Madoka, and a voicemail from Sayaka… My heart pounded as I opened up the voicemail.

" _Hey, I just wanted to call and ask where you were. The music store just opened up their Christmas sales on their CDs and I was wondering if you like to come with me._ " As soon as she said goodbye, I hastily saved the message for later and looked at Madoka's text.

"There's a test coming up Friday, can you help me?" I bit my lip as I texted her back:

"I'm sorry. Got a little sidetracked in an errand. Can't teach you tonight, maybe tomorrow?" I sent it, then began to call Mami.

" _Hello?_ " Instantly, I got an answer.

"Mami! It's me, Shane! I… I missed my stop and I got myself lost and now I'm stuck and I don't know what to do…" My voice was about to crack as I saw people stare at me.

"Shane, calm… It's okay. Where are you right now?" Mami asked.

"Uh… Asunaro City." I said.

…

Nothing. I heard nothing. I pulled my phone away and noticed the black screen. I tried to turn it on, only to notice it flash an empty battery.

"No no no no no no!" I wasn't sure how many times I panted, but I couldn't see anything but the empty battery. My legs became jelly as my mind began to spin. I didn't bring a charger with me and I'm now stranded in a city I don't even know…

"Hey, it's gonna be okay…" I felt someone's hand pat my head. I snapped out of my anxiety attack and saw a girl with short black hair, red eyes, and silver, bell-like earrings. "May I see your phone?" She held out her hand as I handed her my phone. She rotated the phone and saw the bottom of it. "I have a charger back home with this exact plug." She smiled.

I know I shouldn't be accepting gifts from strangers, but I was desperate and just glancing at this girl made me feel a little calmer. So, I nodded. She took my hand and led me to her home. I couldn't help but admit that I liked it. Even though I knew nothing about her, the way we walked through the winter wonderland known as Asunaro City peaceful, calm. There was a lingering worry that she may drag me to certain doom, but the smile on her face told me otherwise…

* * *

We arrived at her house as I took off my winter gear. Like Mami's, it too was pretty, albeit modest in comparison to the lavish furniture that Mami had. There were two couches, one of which I sat on. That's where I saw the charging cable within arm's reach of me. I took it and plugged my phone. It would take at least thirty minutes for it to be functional enough for a five-minute call. More than enough to talk with Mami.

"Are you hungry?" The girl asked me. I nodded. "I'll make us some strawberry risotto." She went to the kitchen as I waited. I bit my lip as the feeling of uncomfortableness clashed with the big comfy couch I was on. I felt like I shouldn't belong here. Like I was invading this home. I shuddered. I shouldn't have tried to go to Zawame. I got up and went over to the kitchen. There, I saw her preparing the food in the pot. The smell of simmering butter and wine beckoned my nose to come closer.

"... Thank you…" I muttered.

"It's no problem… Actually, I should be thanking _you_ …" I noticed her frown. "This is going to be my first Christmas without my grandmother. And… this will be my first time making her signature risotto." As she mentioned that, I felt the urge to hug her, though I held myself back and looked away.

"This is also my first Christmas without my parents." A pause later, I spoke up in a frantic pace. "I-I mean they're not dead! I'm just living with my cousin in Mitakihara! … _Her_ parents died and she needed some company." She simply beamed.

"It's nice being there for others, isn't it? So long as we hold that idea in our hearts, then there'll always be hope." She let the rest of the ingredients simmer in the risotto and patted my head. "Oh! Silly me, I haven't introduced myself… I'm Kazusa Michiru, though Michiru can work."

"Shane McGowan…" I said back.

"I figured you speak English." She noticed how fluently I said my name without any hint of an accent. "I can speak it too, but not a lot…" In contrast, while there was a smidge of Japanese accent in her English, it was legible.

"It's okay, we can stick with Japanese." I said. Michiru and I talked for the rest of the time the risotto was cooking, namely about what we would do for the holidays. When the risotto was ready, I went over to call Mami. The battery was twenty five percent charged, so more than enough time.

" _Hey Shane! I'm on my way to Asunaro!_ " I smiled as I heard Mami say that. " _Where are you right now?_ " Mami asked. I asked Michiru what address I was on and told her. " _Alright, I'll see you there._ " With that, I hung up the phone and went to eat risotto.

"You have a nice cousin, Shane." Michiru already consumed a spoon full of risotto by the time I sat.

"Yeah. I really like her." I smiled, though not to a large extent. Michiru will never know what I truly think of Mami. I took my own spoonful and ate it. It was alright, though due to me not having anything earlier, it tasted better than I had imagined. "This is good. Thank you!"

"I'm glad you like it… It's exactly like how grandma used to make it." Michiru hummed and continued to eat.

Throughout the dinner, Michiru and I discussed about my time in Japan, the places I explored, and the friends I made. By the time I finished the risotto, she asked me a pretty big question.

"So, you seeing someone special?" She gave me a coy, yet cute smile. I blushed and focused on my bowl.

"W-well… That's the thing…" My eyes wavered away from her and scooped whatever remnant of the risotto I could find. Everything about her was just attractive. Her kindness, her tasty food, even the way she talks to me. I feared that the same infatuation complex that had me crushing on not just my classmates but also my own cousin would make me fall for her too. "Everyone to me is special." Michiru giggled.

"You're too cute!" She leaned in and pinched one of my cheeks, though I too had a giggle from this. That's when I heard the door knock.

"I think that's her." I got off my chair and got to the door… And there she was, almost like an angel with the light hanging by the door. Without any sort of second thought, I leaped into her arms and cried. She patted me and hushed me.

"I'm glad you're okay…" Mami said to me.

"I remember you!" I heard Michiru speak up. At first, I thought she referred to me, but then I heard Mami speak next.

"Well, it's a small world _after_ all…" Mami snickered. I felt Mami's hand on my head. "Thank you very much for looking after Shane."

"The pleasure is all mine. He's great company." Michiru said. That comment alone made me turn around.

"Michiru, I'll try to see you again some time, okay?" I said.

"Sure! I'll make more risotto for us next time." With that smile, I felt calm and at peace. I waved goodbye to her as we departed from her house.

* * *

We went back to the bus stop. While it was cold, being close to Mami made me warm. We sat down on a wooden bench and waited for our bus to come.

"Mami… I'm sorry." I frowned as I remembered my phone dying around here.

"It's alright. If anything, _I'm_ sorry. I've been too busy with my life to be with you." Mami squeezed me tightly, though I didn't seem to mind it.

"... You never really told me what you're up to after school, now that I think about it." I said.

"It's… something I don't wish to be upfront about." I bit my lip and began to think about what kind of stuff she would be doing. Started mundane, like a part-time job at an embarrassing place or even a bikini model (she had the figure for it, after all), but then my mind began to dig deeper. I heard that school girls tend to escort older men for a large sum of money.

I tried to take my mind off that line of thought before it went for darker ideas. As the bus arrived, there _was_ one thought in my mind that was related to what she said:

Mami pretty quick after the second phone call, especially if she walked all the way to the house, so whatever her work was, it seemed to be close to Asunaro City… Or if it was what I feared it was, perhaps the service was _done_ somewhere in Asunaro.

* * *

The bus ride home was simple enough. I sat next to Mami and held her hand the whole way home…

Or so I thought.

 **Ding!**

"Next Stop: Zawame #7. Next Stop: Zawame #7."

"Huh?" I looked to Mami as she smiled at me.

"I've always wanted to come by here." As I the bus pull up, I knew _exactly_ what she meant. I saw the familiar shop of Charmant just at the corner of my eye. Holy crap! Did Mami read my mind or something? It seemed pretty damn coincidental that she decided to stop for the same place I was intending to go.

But, I decided to count my blessings. It was a close-to-Christmas miracle, after all. We got off the bus and headed into Charmant to enjoy some delicious cake. Afterwards, we went home and got to sleep, though this would be one of the nights that I would remember.

Though, I kept Michiru in the back of my head, hoping that one day I'll decide to visit her again.


	5. My First Sleepover

Morning came and passed for me. Mami and I said our good mornings and prepared ourselves for school. Though, in the midst of that, I took a look outside the balcony and noticed three girls in the Mitakihara school uniforms heading towards the apartment. Though too far to make clear distinctions, the colors of pink, blue, and green instantly formed it in my head.

"Hey, Mami, you mind if I walk with my classmates?" I asked her, though I tried to hide my sight as I noticed she was in the process of pulling up her pantyhose.

"Sure thing, Shane." Mami smiled at me. Though Mami and I had our breakfast, I took a slice of bread to go, just to ensure I was full.

"Thanks!" Without a second to lose, I ran out of the apartment, bread in mouth, and took the stairs. Ten flights seemed like a rather long walk, but when you are practically long jumping to the point of temporary flight, you can easily make it down in just two minutes. Once I was outside, I had to catch my breath for a second before I joined up with the group.

"Ah! Morning, Shane!" Madoka waved over to me as I finished the bread I had ate on my way down.

"Morning, Madoka." I blushed when I looked at Miki. "And morning, Miki…" I didn't know what the seaweed girl's name was.

"Morning." Miki turned around, arms stretched with her hands rested behind her head. "So, when were you gonna tell me you were transferring to Mitakihara? Woulda made that chat at the mall the other day less awkward." Miki walked backwards, though she seemed to have a good sense of balance.

"I didn't know we were at the same school. I only just moved here Saturday night." I said.

"Wait, you met Miki before?" The seaweed girl asked me.

"Yeah. He and Sayaka bumped into each other at the CD…" Madoka answered for me, only for Miki to leap over to her and covered her mouth.

"Y-yeah! It was a silly conversation we had about… Erm…" Miki turned red and stammered.

"She found me sleeping on the bench and thought I was a bum." I faked a chuckle, though Miki joined in with a laugh faker than that one scene in a JRPG I played.

"Oh! It's because of jetlag, isn't it? I know a bit about dealing with jetlag if you need some help." The seaweed girl said. While I loved to take her up on the offer, I shook my head.

"No thanks. I have some pills that'll adjust my sleep." I said to her. We shared some other small talk, as well as our numbers, before we entered the school.

* * *

School went by uneventful, at least until lunch break when I got a text from Miki.

" _Hey, meet me on the roof._ " I was a bit puzzled by this, but I wanted to talk to her some more. So I headed to the rooftop, though as I stepped out of the school stairway, I swore I stepped right into Vatican City. The building I exited from looked like an honest to God cathedral, with the fences on the roof being comically oversized and more akin to pearly gates. There were concrete benches every few feet. Miki sat on the first bench.

"Hey… Can we talk?" I took a moment to marvel at the entire rooftop. Even the floor was tiled as though it were some sort of temple rather than an actual roof. "Hey!" Miki's shout was what made me focus.

"Oh… Yeah."

"... Thanks for covering me. But… how did you-" Miki said.

"I can take a hint." Miki sighed.

"Yeah, it's kinda obvious the other day, wasn't it?" Miki asked.

"Kinda is an understatement." I muttered and sat next to her.

"I'm too shy to outright say it. Only Madoka knows." Miki said. I realized how close I was to her. The feeling I had with Track 8 returned to me. As much as I wanted to hold her hand, as much as I wanted to be closer to her, I knew that her heart was set for another.

"Does he… go to this school?" I asked her.

"Yeah, but because of the accident, he wasn't able to attend school." I frowned and just nodded my head.

"It must be hard…"

"Yeah… I try to spend as much time as I can with him though. That way I can at least provide some support…" I was reminded of why I decided to head to Japan in the first place. To be there for Mami as she adjusts to her life.

"You're doing a good thing." I smiled at her before I pulled out the walkman. "I… I really like the CD. Thanks."

"You're welcome." I looked to the CD player.

"Um… Do you want to… L-listen?" I asked.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure. We have a bit until gym anyways." I offered her one earbud for her to listen to while I listened to the other. The short cords between the two ensured we'd be stuck together closer than what we considered comfort. At least for the first minute or so. I had the CD on shuffle, resulting in a simple, yet innocent track. From there, my head bobbed to Miki's arm. I rested on her.

A soft melody, a beautiful scene, and a kind girl next to me… It was the most pleasant moment I could feel…

But then I had to wake up.

"Hey, class ends in 5." Miki's face had been red throughout the whole day, but this was a time where it was so red, her blue eyes had a hue of purple to them.

"Oooh… yeah…" I slurred a bit. With the last of my strength, I took a pill and waited for the effects to kick in. Soon, I was more active, right on time for the next class.

* * *

Class went by without any sort of interest happening save for Sayaka still sleeping and Madoka struggling with English. Afterwards, I went home with Mami.

"I'll go make us some dinner." Mami and I entered the house. I went to my room and took off my school clothes to slip into something more comfortable. About five minutes later, Mami knocked on my door.

"Shane, I don't think we have enough in the fridge, so I'm gonna have to run to the groceries. Sorry about not making dinner. If it helps, I've left some money for you to order pizza. Oh! And if I'm not back by 9, try to go to bed without me." Before I could ask her anything, she left with a kiss on my cheek.

As the door closed, the realization that I was alone in the apartment dawned slowly, about five to ten minutes. The feeling came first as a quivering of the lip, followed by a tremble. Before I knew it, my throat was about to give out a wail, a cry for her to come back…

It had been the first time I had truly been alone since arriving in Japan. Before, Mami or someone else would occupy my time. A few thoughts raced through my head, though the most prominent one was "what does she _mean_ by 'if I'm not back by 9?'" How long does it take for her to go grocery shopping?! I took out my phone, ready to dial Mami's number…

Only for it to ring. It was Madoka's number… I swiped the answer button.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Oh, hey… Um… Remember yesterday when I asked you to tutor me? T-there's an English test coming up this week and I don't really have any idea what to study…" It took me no longer than a second for me to respond.

"Sure. I'll be over ASAP. Just text me the address to your house, okay?"

"Okay… See you later." As I hung up, the tension in my heart went away. _Mami will be fine_ was the thought that lingered in my head. I picked out some casual clothes from my briefcase and got myself ready. Within a minute, Madoka gave me the address to her house. Not far, about a good jog over.

With another toast in my mouth and a bag full of supplies, I went over on my quest to vanquish the loneliness that had tried to dwell in my heart. Though, a lingering thought was in the back of my head:

Will Mami come back home okay?

* * *

My finger edged closer to the door bell. Despite how nice Madoka can be, I felt nervous going over to her house. Part of that was obviously my worry over Mami. She had left suddenly with the only instruction being that I should go to sleep without her should she not be back by 9.

"Hey, are you gonna say anything or are you just gonna stand there?" I suddenly saw a woman in a black business suit with short purple hair. Immediately I looked at my phone to see if I got the right address.

"S-sorry! I…" However, a brief look from her and her tone suddenly changed.

"Oh! You're Madoka's new friend, right?" I looked at her and nodded. "Right this way. Madoka's in her room, studying." The air of uneasiness became heavier as I walked in and took off my shoes.

* * *

The nervousness slowly went away the moment I was led to Madoka's room. With a soft knock at the door from the woman, Madoka opened the door as I saw just how sickeningly pink the bedroom looked. My friends back in America would rather die than walk into this sugary area, let alone talk with a girl. Me?

I waved hello.

"Ah, Shane!" Madoka took me by the hand and pulled me into the room.

"I'm gonna go get your father to make you guys some snacks." As the woman left, Madoka waved to her.

"Okay, mom!" My eyes darted from the woman to Madoka, comparing hair colors. Never in my life would I assume such a kind-hearted, sweet-as-cake girl like Madoka could be birthed by someone who looks like she could cut me up and leave me to dry if I were unable to pay back a loan to her.

"So… what's the problem?" I asked Madoka as I looked at the book she had on a wooden desk, also subtly painted pink.

"Where do I begin, wihih~!" Madoka giggled. She went close to me and pointed to one of the words on the book: Contraction.

"Oh, that's easy. Repeat after me:" for the first time since arriving in Japan, I spoke the next sentence in English. "I do not know this answer."

"Ai do nawt no desu ansa." I held myself back from laughing.

"I don't know this answer."

"Ai donto no desu ansa." Madoka paused for a moment, then frowled her eyes and glared. "Hey! Are you telling me you don't know about contractions!?" While cute for Madoka to get angry at me, I felt a little awful for setting up the lesson like that.

"F-far from it. Do you notice how the second sentence was easier to say?" I asked her. She calmed and thought about it.

"Yeah…"

"Exactly. Contractions are meant to shorten a word so that you can say things easier. Like, instead of 'you are', you can say 'you're'. Or 'I'm' instead of I am." I said.

"Ah! That's cool!" She went to her book as I read along with her. As I read aloud, her eyes were glued to the page. I wasn't sure how far she was into studying, but by the time Madoka's father — admittedly more like how I would imagine Madoka's father to be with his perpetual smile, glasses, and overall nice aura around him — entered with a bowl of cubed up sweet potatoes.

"Here you guys go!" He laid down the bowl. He saw the two of us and gave a grin. "Hmm… Seems you two are hitting it off!" That's when I noticed I was sitting next to Madoka, my hand touching the back of hers as we held the book. I retracted my hand as she did the same. Her father chuckled as we blushed. "Heh, don't worry, I won't interrupt you guys." He left the room.

"W-well, let's take a break…" I chuckled.

"Y-yeah…" Madoka looked away as she closed the book. There was no doubt about it, the flickers of love have been lit. I couldn't help but feel some of these feelings myself.

"I might not be able to spend enough time with you, and if that's the case, then I would want you to spend that time when we're separated with someone you like."

Mami's words came back to haunt me as I quickly got my phone out…

8:30 PM. No word from Mami if she came back.

"One second…" I called Mami up and put it close to my ear…

 _Ring…_

She's gonna pick up soon…

 _Riiing…_

I just know it!

 _Ring…_

She's just having some trouble getting the phone out…

 _Riiiiing…_

Or maybe she left her phone to charge while she showered…

 _Riiiin-_

As soon as the ringing stopped, I smiled.

" _Hello._ " With Mami's voice, I spoke out loud.

"Mami! Hey, I-"

" _Sorry that I'm unavailable, but if you leave me a message…_ " The rest droned out as I lost the strength in my hand to hold the phone. All I can see now was a dark, empty void. Soon, people emerged by the dozens. I looked around for a way out, but there was none in sight. Eventually, more people came and soon, I felt as though I would be crushed...

"Shane?" Madoka lightly tapped me on the shoulder. The people went away, as well as the crushing feeling.

"... Sorry. I just found out my cousin won't be home tonight. I haven't really handled the idea of being alone." Though I had just said that, I tried to keep that thought out of my head, to no avail. Madoka simply held me by the hand.

"You wanna sleep over?" Madoka asked.

"Sure." Without any hesitation, the word slipped out of my mouth. Madoka smiled.

"Okay. I'm gonna go let mom and dad know." Madoka went out of the room as I left myself to try and quell that feeling of loneliness out of my head. I shot Mami a text telling her that I'd be sleeping over at Madoka's, though part of me thought if she would ever read it.

"You'll meet Mami tomorrow… Don't worry…" I muttered. Thankfully, it didn't take long before Madoka came back.

"We should get ready for bed." Madoka said as she went over to a dresser and pulled open a drawer. She took out a set of yellowish green pajamas.

"Sorry. There wasn't a lot of pajamas to go around and my brother's pair is too small for you. I hope it's okay." Madoka said to me.

"Yeah, it's okay." I blamed myself for not planning ahead for a sleepover. Though I took solace in knowing Madoka will be the only one to see this. I took the clothes and went into the closet. As I came out dressed in the yellow pajamas as Madoka simply grinned.

"You're so cute!" Madoka ran over to hug me. As she held me, I had a curious question.

"So… where do I sleep?" I asked her. She took me by the hand and dragged me to the bed. Her bed. "Uh…"

"We don't have any guest bedrooms and I don't want you to sleep on the floor. Besides, Sayaka and I sleep in the same bed!" She missed the point of me being a boy. And yet, Madoka's innocent smile beamed into me. I sighed…

"It can't be helped, it seems." I muttered as I got into the bed. Madoka went to change into her sleepwear, a pink and white polkadot shirt that edged off into a skirt. She also wore white thigh high socks. Madoka went in to the bed as she flung the covers over us and laid down next to me. The covers landed on us as our bodies were close to each other that a simple stretch of arms would lead to us hugging.

"Night, Shane!" She kissed me on the cheek and closed her eyes.

"Night, Madoka." I closed my eyes, hoping sleep would soon follow me.

* * *

No. About an hour or two in, I had the dream of me being lost in the crowd, though now the faces of the people were replaced with red, scab-like scribbles. Each one of them, men, women, even children, all had these designs. Eventually, all of them looked to me.

"Shane…" I slowly heard someone calling for me. I tried to see who it was, but people crowded me.

It seemed my body had pulled an emergency switch, as I instantly woke up in a cold sweat. I tried to go back to sleep, but the thoughts of me being alone and far from home were too much for my brain to process. My first instinct was to look to Madoka. I wanted to tell her that I couldn't sleep, though I didn't want to wake her up. I stared up at the ceiling...

But I couldn't go back to sleep. I thought about Mami. Is she back home? I left my phone in my pants pocket so I couldn't get up and check if Mami came back. All I had to do is wait until I fell asleep...

But no, the thoughts of where Mami could be lingered on. It soon changed into the thoughts of me being lonely and soon... Homesickness.

"Shane?" I noticed Madoka's eyes were wide open.

"Madoka..." I trembled as Madoka began to hold me.

"It's okay... Cry in my arms." I realized I was upset. Scared.

"I'm... I'm homesick!" I cried right into Madoka's arms and squeezed her tightly. She simply stroke my back as I sobbed. I huddled closer to her. "Thank you... You're so nice to me... And... You're super cute, especially with your hair down. You're sweet, kind, and adorable."

"You're nice as well. You helped me with my English and… Not a lot of people pay any mind to me." Madoka stroked my hair.

"I… I like you, too." We shared a small moment together as we stared into each other's eyes. Madoka's pink eyes against my light brown. Without any hesitation, we kissed. As our mouths seperated, I kissed her neck, all while smelling the sweet shampoo she had used on her hair.

"Shane…" Madoka smiled as we clung onto each other. Madoka nuzzled me with her cute button nose and giggled.

"Don't let go of me, okay?" I asked her.

"I won't..." Madoka kissed me on the forehead. The rest of the night went peacefully.

* * *

"Rise and shine, Shane!" My eyes opened to the image of Madoka, in her pajamas, looking over me with the sun shining behind her head. She pulled me out of bed before giving me a smile. "I'll meet you outside!" Madoka walked out of her room as I was left to put my clothes back on.

The morning was spent having breakfast with the family, to which I finally met Madoka's little brother. True to what she said, his pajamas would have been too small, though that was on the course that he was a kindergartener while I was a head smaller than Madoka. The breakfast, sunny-side up eggs, ham, and toast, was simply delightful to have.

"So, Shane, what happened to cause you to sleep over?" Madoka's mom asked me. I couldn't help but feel concerned as she looked at me with a subtle glare.

"My cousin wasn't home and I didn't wanna sleep alone." I said. A chill went up my spine as she gave a half-hearted smile.

"I see." She said. Quick to change the topic, I turned to Madoka's dad.

"So, Mr. Kaname, how did you make the ham? They're yummy!" I asked him.

"Oh, well, I simply steam it." He said.

"Didn't know you could do that to hams."

"Well, yeah, it's an old family recipe." I dipped a cut of ham into the yolk and ate it. The rest of the breakfast was simple chats about who I was, how I did with helping Madoka, and how I came to Japan. When Madoka's dad asked me, it felt like pleasant conversation. When her mom asked me, though, it felt like I was being interrogated. Though, one comment unnerved me.

"Well, you and Madoka seem to make a cute couple." It was Madoka's mom who made that, albeit with the smile that unnerved me. Madoka blushed and chuckled.

"Mom, wihihi, we're not that close!" What happened last night says otherwise. "Oh! We should probably go to school!" With that, Madoka got up. I got up too as soon as I finished my meal. The two of us ran out of the house. "I'll see you after school!" Madoka said to her family.

* * *

About five minutes after we left, Madoka stopped and turned around.

"Shane, about last night…" As she said that, I sharply inhaled and prepared for the worst, "mom found out." Of course…

"I'm sorry… I shouldn't have…" Madoka then held up her hand in front of me.

"She's not mad, but… She wants us to figure out something if we do that again." Madoka looked away and blushed. "She told me kissing is better if it's with someone you love. I like you, you like me, but…" Before she continued, I nodded.

"Yeah, I think we got into it a little too fast." With a blush from me, I gave a sigh. "Next time I sleep over, I'll try to resist cuddling with you."

"Yeah, me too." Madoka gave me a smile.

"Hey, you two!" I heard Miki call to us as Madoka ran off and giggled. I walked to them as well, though as I did, I noticed something.

"Hey, Madoka, your hair's down…" I smiled, though she turned her head to me and smiled back.

"I know." We joined up with Miki and the seaweed girl and began our walk to school. Both of them noticed her hair as well, though none of them picked up that she did it because of me.

* * *

As we got to the gate, I saw Mami.

"Mami!" I ran to her and leaped into her arms. Mami caught me and patted my head.

"Morning, Shane." Mami rubbed her face on mine.

"We'll see you later, Shane!" Madoka waved at me before heading into the school. Afterwards, I looked to Mami.

"Hey, Mami? How do I know I'm in love with someone?" I asked her.

"Huh? You're asking that so soon?" Mami asked.

"Yeah… Madoka and I... had a make-out session last night out of the blue, but her mom insisted I only do that with someone I love." I said to her.

"Ah, I see. Well… I guess the best way is to see if you can't bear living without them." As she said that, I hugged her.

"Then… Then I love you!" I nestled my head into her chest. Mami simply patted my head.

"I know you do… but..." I frowned.

"It's because we're cousins, isn't it?"

"No! Far from it! It's just… I don't want you to depend on me." Mami continued to pat my head, though it felt very nice. "I want you to love someone who's special in your life. Someone who will make your time with them worth it. As much as I love you, I know it's better to let you free to love someone else. Trust me, you'll know what I mean one day." Mami kissed me on the forehead. "Now then, shall we get to class." With a slight pause, I nodded and headed with her to class, all while I thought to myself:

Who will be my special someone? Someone so special, I'd devote my time with them?


	6. A Romantic Beauty

By the time I entered my third day at school, it felt like a blur. Aside from the morning rants from the teacher, which felt more routine than standing and bowing to her, I don't remember a lot of what we learned. School just passed in the blink of an eye. It could be due to what I had in my mind.

" _I want you to love someone special in your life. Someone who will make your first time worth it._ "

Maybe I was going too fast with thinking this, but already I had three people in mind:

Tomoe Mami, my cousin who seems fine with me being in love with her. I know her the most so she'd be the easiest option, even if she doesn't seem to think so.

But then there's Miki Sayaka. She has the same tastes in music as I do and being with her yesterday was the most relaxing I could ever feel, though it's clear she pines for someone else.

Lastly, there's Kaname Madoka. Out of the three, she seems like the most likely girl I'd end up with. Absurdly sweet and adorable, kind-hearted, not to mention how she seems to like _me_ in turn. A match made in heaven if I do say so myself.

The one thing I liked about Japanese school in contrast to American school was the idea of cleaning. Instead of a janitor, we clean the school ourselves. While it's meant to encourage life skills, it also helps clear up my mind and also meet new students I wouldn't normally come across.

One of the places I went to go clean up was a classroom built specifically for teaching music. Like with every other place in the school, the room was a piece of art. While there were standard wooden chairs and tables, the floor and walls had such shimmering glass-like paneling that it looked as though I was inside a cut diamond. What felt even more beautiful was how each key from the ebony piano bounced off the walls as they were played…

Wait…

I went further into the room and saw a girl sit on a large, ebony bench, playing piano. A girl with… seaweed hair.

This was the third person in Madoka's group. The one I never got the name of. She stopped playing and turned to see me.

"Oh, it's you, Shane." She said with some amount of surprise.

"Hey… Guess you got lost in cleaning the piano?" I asked.

"Y-yeah…" I went over to the piano and inspected the interior. It was the standard kind where the top of the piano had been elevated and allowed me to see the inside. Damp cloth in hand, I stroked across the brass strings as they made a shrill sound.

"Don't worry. I'd be distracted as well." I brushed the bottom side of the piano-lid. "Forgive me, but I don't think I got your name."

"Shizuki, though you may call me Hitomi." As she said that, I looked over to the ivory set of keys.

"So is Shizuki your first name or your last name?" I asked.

"Last. Though I understand the confusion." I gave a chuckle.

"Yeah, Miki and Kaname can double as first names." I sat next to her on the bench.

"As can Tomoe, right?" As she asked that, I heaved a defeated sigh.

"Now that I think about it, yeah." Hitomi laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Sorry about your loss, by the way." I slowly nodded.

"Yeah…" As I frowned, Shizuki took her hand off me and had it instead rest on the keys.

"So, you and Sayaka met at the CD store, right?" I jumped up briefly.

"N-no! We met on a bench, remem-"

"You and I both know that was a cover. Besides, I eavesdropped on your conversation with her yesterday." She said.

"... So, you…"

"Yeah. I've known for a long while." I bit my lip. It wasn't my place to discuss personal matters, but given how I felt wrapped up in them…

"So why don't you just tell her you know? She'd feel a lot better knowing you're aware of her feelings." Hitomi gave me a sorrowful look.

"Because I like him as well…" An air of awkward silence brushed between us before Hitomi's fingers pressed against the keys. It sent me into a more relaxed state despite the sudden burst of sound from the keys hitting the brass. "I'm practicing piano because I want to better compliment his violin skills when he gets better."

"You're pretty good at it." I said.

"I hope him and I could be like that musical couple." A warm smile crept on her face. "The boy on his piano and the girl with her violin." I scratched the back of my head. I heard about that couple and I felt it'd be a dick move to remind her what became of the violinist, especially considering the circumstances. After a few abrupt notes and finding which ones worked, Hitomi finally got into a pretty decent rhythm. "So, tell me, what's your favorite instrument?" Hitomi asked.

"The voice." Hitomi raised an eyebrow as I said that. "Pianos, drums, trumpets, guitars, they all sound the same, but a voice is unique. Some of the best voices can sound like lullabies in a conversation." Hitomi looked to the keys, then began to vocalize the notes. I felt a chill, followed by a blush. "Like that… Your voice is beautiful." I blushed. Hitomi hands slowed until they came to a complete halt. "Oh… S-sorry… I just…" I began to tremble.

"You okay?" Hitomi asked me, though her concerned look had me see her in an almost angelic light, especially with the crystal-like room we were in bouncing the lights around.

"Yeah… Just… Ever since I arrived, I can't help but fall in love with almost every girl I meet. And… that's my problem." Hitomi then patted me on the shoulder.

"It's called limerence. It's pretty common for boys who are going through puberty." Hitomi said.

"So… how do I just stick to just one? How do I know who my special someone is?" I asked. Hitomi looked to the keys and closed her eyes.

"My mom told me when I panicked over Kamijou's accident," I presume he meant the violinist they both had affections for, "she told me that I had a crush on him because… Because he was the one person I couldn't bare to lose." As I saw tears drop onto the keys, I scooted closer to her.

"So… I think I know who it is then…" I gave a wistful smile as I thought of what I felt when I heard Mami got into an accident and the nightmare-filled nights that plagued my sleep for the next few days. That's when I felt my hand on Hitomi's. We both gave a look into each other's tear-filled eyes. Her sad, emerald eyes…

No… Damn it… I'm falling for her too! And this is even worse… She's in love with someone else, too… The same person Sayaka is in love with… With the way Hitomi leaned in, I knew she was feeling the same thing as well. The talk of love stirred our emotions to the point where instinct takes over. But even so, do I want to fall into the convoluted mess that is a love triangle?

 ** _OF COURSE I DO!_**

Hitomi's lips fell onto mine as we hugged each other. The momentum of our movement knocked us onto the floor, bench following afterwards, with Hitomi on top of me. As our lips touched, I heard ringing bells, as though I hit a high score. My only response was to whoop wildly and loudly. Hitomi muffled my mouth with hers. She straddled me before giving me the biggest bear hug of my life. I couldn't help but shout: "YES! YES!"

"Don't be so loud! You haven't closed the door…" Hitomi said to me before she kissed me once again.

"S-Shane?" Sayaka's sudden voice caused Hitomi to stop. I slowly lost my lust as I struggled to tilt my head. When Hitomi got off of me, I rose up and saw not only Sayaka there, but also Madoka, who I noticed had a bad time covering her tear-filled face.

"Oh, h-hey…" Shit! I'm caught… Unless… It's a gamble, but… "Do you wanna join?" Sayaka dropped her jaw.

"Why are you so OK with this?" Sayaka shouted. I soon saw Mami behind Madoka and Sayaka. She gave me her own, wide-eyed, dropped jaw, horrified expression. Hitomi backed away. I was now confronted with the very idea that, what started out as beautiful friendships with four beautiful girls and potentially more had now been broken, dismantled, and on the fast track to involving a nice boat.

Truly, I had hit rock bottom…

 ** _BOOM!_**

Everything turned black as I felt something hard suddenly strike my belly.

"OW!" I shouted.

"Sorry, you were in a daze and nothing I did snapped you out of it!" Hitomi pleaded. I opened my eyes and…

Hitomi and I were on the bench. Mami, Sayaka, and Madoka were not outside the room. The bench hadn't even been tipped over, let alone moved. It was as though…

I quickly realized that what had preceded was the daze Hitomi mentioned. I looked to see that Hitomi had balled one of her hands into a fist, though she relaxed it soon after. I turned my attention to the keys, then the cloth I had left on the piano. I grabbed it and got up.

"Thank you… And, um… sorry." I gave a bow.

"For what?" Hitomi asked.

"D-dazing out… That's never happened before." Hitomi gave a giggle as she covered the bottom of her lip with her hand.

"That means you have a very active imagination." As Hitomi said that, I gulped. If she knew exactly what I had imagined, I doubt she'd find it cute. I took another bow.

"Well, I better get going. See you tomorrow, Hitomi."

"Good…" Before she could even finish, I ran off. "...bye." I heard the last syllable lose any and all drive that Hitomi had given her voice. I hated myself for leaving her, but I didn't want to make that fantasy a reality.

My mind was telling me something. I needed to commit. What Hitomi had told me was great advice and definitely helped narrow down the people I considered very special.

I knew that the special person was at the very top of my list. One who I had known since before I arrived in Japan: my own cousin, Tomoe Mami.

* * *

"Mami, I'm home!" I announced as I took off my shoes. This was it. The night I would confess my feelings to Mami. I thought about how I would break the news to her, especially considering her insistence that my first time should be with someone other than her. My idea was to discuss my love and see where I went from there.

"Hello, Shane. Busy day at school?" As I entered the living room, I noticed Mami had tea set up, along with some cake. Though, I noticed there was another person sitting by the table.

"Oh… Um… Hello…" In the light, I mistook her for Madoka with her pretty pigtails, but as I got a better look, I noticed her hair was more of a reddish orange while her eyes looked teal. She wore what looked to be a very soft salmon colored sweater.

"H-hi…" My confidence shattered the moment I laid eyes on this new girl.

"Shane, allow me to introduce you to my trainee. This is Kanami. She's from a town not far from here. She just happened to be in the area when I bumped into her." Mami said. I approached the table and sat down. My eyes were glued to this new cutie.

"Oh, it's nothing, really. I was just coming by to help with the sick at the local hospital." Kanami sheepishly giggled. As I smiled, I remembered what had happened prior and bit my lip. "Is… Is something wrong?" Kanami asked.

"No… Just... " Crap… Crap… Gotta figure something out… "W-would it be okay if I came with you tomorrow?" Aaaand I asked a pretty stupid question.

"I'm sure Kanami is going to be busy with her own school-" Kanami interrupted Mami.

"Actually, my home's about a thirty minute walk away. Maybe after school, we can take a trip to Kazamino's hospital." She had this sweet smile on her face that made me want to hug her. However, I restrained myself.

"That'd be wonderful." I said. Kanami suddenly looked at her watch and jerked up.

"Sorry, I completely forgot the time! I better go home before dinner. It was nice talking with you, Tomoe!" Kanami ran off to the front and put on her shoes. "Meet me at the bus station at 3:30 tomorrow, okay, Shane?" She gave a grin before she left the apartment. As the door closed, I felt hollow inside. As though something left me.

"I apologize. It must have been weird to see someone you didn't know come to my house." Mami frowned, though my face was burning up. My grin turned into a pout.

"It's not fair…" I muttered.

"Huh?" As Mami asked that, I gave her a hug.

"How come I'm falling in love with everyone I meet!?" I cried out, muffled only by Mami's own body. Mami could only pat me on the head and shush me.

"Oh, Shane…" Mami said only silent whispers to me.

"I had a daydream where I was making out with one of the students in front of Madoka and Sayaka… I just want to love you but… everyone else is just so beautiful!" As I cried, Mami could only giggle.

"You know, it's cute how you're making this a big deal." I shook my head.

"I… I was gonna tell you that I love you… but… then I saw Kanami and…" I blushed hard as Mami continued to giggle.

"Shane, there's nothing to be ashamed about. You just have a crush on a lot of girls is all. It's perfectly normal." Mami said.

"But… I wanted you…" As I sobbed, Mami gently pushed me away, then placed her lips on mine. For a moment, I felt like I was in a dream.

"But you _do_ have me. I… I don't really have a lot of time for a boyfriend. And the only time I _do_ make, it's for helping out other girls like Kanami." This had me a little puzzled.

"... Help them do what?" I asked her. Mami immediately blushed and her eyes darted around as though to find something. Once her eyes locked on, she picked up her notebook.

"Homework! I tutor a lot of girls, hence why I call them my trainees!" Mami gave a half-hearted smile. Something was fishy, but it was definitely easier to swallow than her having to prostitute herself for cash.

"Okay, I believe you." I smiled back as the both of us had a laugh. Mami then hugged me tightly.

"Shane… One day, you'll find someone that will blow your world away. Someone who will be more than I can ever be… If you were to stick with me, you'll never find her. That's why I don't want you to be completely dependent on me. You should be with that special someone. And who knows? Maybe it _will_ be Madoka or Sayaka, or maybe it'll be someone completely different. You had a couple of glances at Kanami, right?" As she asked that, I immediately blushed.

"I… Well… I…" Mami and I soon laughed.

* * *

The rest of the evening was relaxing. Just some tea, dinner, and, for the first time, Mami didn't leave to go somewhere else. That whole night, she stayed. Eventually, we got ready for bed. Mami had me tucked into bed before she put herself in it. Feeling Mami's warmth against my body had never felt better in my life. It was practically like hugging a pillow.

"So, I guess you're gonna be helping Kanami tomorrow?" Mami asked.

"Yeah… She seems nice… Plus… if she's my special someone… That would be..." I gave a weak smile before I dozed off thanks in part to Mami's tight yet comforting grasp over me, especially with how her legs locked around mine.

"Goodnight, Shane…" Was the last thing she said to me before I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next day came and went, with the only notable thing being me keeping my distance from Sayaka, Madoka, and Hitomi. Not that they seemed to mind. I still talked with them as we went to school, but the thought of Kanami lingered in my mind.

"Hey, Shane, you coming to Madoka's house tomorrow?" Sayaka asked.

"Erm… Yeah, what for?" I asked.

"It's going to be her birthday tomorrow." Hitomi said.

"Oh! Congrats!" I said to her.

"It's nothing to be proud of, really…" Madoka sheepishly chuckled.

"Yeah, sure, I'll come." My mind began to schedule what I'd do tomorrow. As I tried to figure out what to get for Madoka, the rest of the school day blurred, as did the cleaning. While I met Hitomi again in the music hall, I didn't stay for long. My thought was on meeting Kanami at 3:30…

And that's exactly where I went.

* * *

"Hey, Shane!" Kanami waved to me as I got onto the platform. "You're just in time!" Kanami pointed to the bus that'd leave for Kazamino. The two of us got on as I felt a wave of radiance in me and a spring in my step.

Somehow, someway, I just know that this will be the day I find out who my special someone is...


	7. Comforting The Hurt

I sat next to Kanami for the bus trip to Kazamino City. I had some confusion as I would almost call her Kana _me_ , however, the problem alleviated itself when she decided for me to call her Honoka. Honoka… It sounded much better, rolls off the tongue… Yet, Madoka has me call her Madoka, so is it really a big deal if I called her Kanami or Honoka?

I think Honoka sounded better, if only because I noticed her blush whenever I uttered that name instead of Kanami. I was told that most people prefer the last name basis, but never thought of why until now. Saying her name seemed almost akin to kissing her on the cheek. It seemed rather intimate. So, when Madoka insisted on calling her by her given name, was she just breaking that barrier down?

"So… Mami told me about her job." I noticed Honoka look to me with a mixture of curiosity and interest. "I never realized she was a tutor." It took a bit for Honoka to get what I meant.

"Ah! Well, she's pretty nice about it. If it weren't for her, I probably would have been toast." She chuckled. I remembered how Mami taught me how to use the bus system back when I was young. While the routes had changed and the busses were different, it was still the same type of transit.

"Well, given what I learned from her, I think she's a pretty good tutor." I gave a chuckle of my own. My hand was close to hers. Not a moment passed without me thinking of holding her hand, just once… However, despite the opportunity, I never took it… Instead, I looked at and admired the cute girl that was Honoka.

The bus stopped as Honoka and I got off… Though, as I hopped off the bus, my legs began to buckle. It was my first time outside of Mitakihara without Mami to guide me… I looked around as other people got off. Some of them budged into me as I felt my body get rocked around.

Already, I lost sight of Honoka within the crowd of people, all while I kept getting pushed around. One push later, and I was suddenly on the ground with a blunt pain to my knee. I let out a sharp scream as tears came down.

"Hey, are you okay?" I heard Honoka approach me. As I looked, I saw her face out of the crowd. I shook my head as Honoka picked me up and slumped my arm against her neck. "It's going to be alright. We're already going to a hospital anyways." She said to me.

"... Thanks…" Her hand was clasped over my own in an attempt to support me. It felt… nice. It was as though the pain had gone away. I gave her a smile, though she wasn't able to see it. Instead, she just carried me over to the hospital.

* * *

Thankfully all that was needed was an ice pack and some light walking, most of which Honoka was able to help with. Throughout the trip at the hospital, she had acted as my crutch, even when I was given one.

Our duties were very menial: visit and give patients company. Usually these people are those who don't have many guests, such as the elders. We mostly visited elderly people. Some of them were just as friendly, if not more than Honoka, though, there were a few that I couldn't get out of my head.

* * *

The first was an old man. I noticed that the nurse would often come to give patients their medicine, but with this man, she would go in and out without so much as giving him a look. As Honoka approached him, I could tell just from his sneer that there was a good reason why she never gave him the time of day.

"Afternoon, Shiroiwa. How was the operation?" Honoka asked with such an air of innocence and kindness that it seemed almost too pleasant to hear.

"Oh, it was fine. Doc said I should stick to liquids for the time being." The old man said.

"Well, I'm sure the cuisine at the hospital is pretty good. A few sips of onion soup and you'll be right as rain in no time…" Honoka continued to chat. I looked out the window and saw some birds fluttering about while Honoka's voice was in the background. "Well, hate to cut it short, but we have plenty of other people to talk with. See you later!" Honoka waved to him and ran off. I was about to follow when Shiroiwa coughed.

"She's a cute one, that's for sure. Promise me something, okay? You should get her while you have the chance. I know when people are in love, and _you_ , well, you're falling head over heels all _over_ the place. If you like her, get her. Hold onto her and never let go." Shiroiwa said.

"Thanks… I'll consider it." I wasn't sure how to respond, so I merely nodded and left.

* * *

The next person was brief. She was an elderly woman who seemed to space out every now and then. It had to take Honoka touching her wrinkled hand to get her attention.

"Ah… Hello there… … Who are you again?" She asked Honoka.

"It's me, Honoka. From Akanegasaki Middle School?" Honoka asked back.

"Oooh, right. There we go… How are you doing?"

"Great! I managed to score a B on my recent test, so that's worth celebrating." She beamed as the old woman nodded.

"That _is_ good… And who is _this_ handsome man?" She asked me.

"Shane. I'm hanging out with Honoka for the day." I said.

"Hmm, that's nice." She then coughed as Honoka went to get a glass of water.

"Are you okay?" Honoka asked as she handed her the glass.

"Yes, I am… Wait, who are you?" She asked.

"It's me, Honoka. From Akanegasaki Middle School?" Honoka asked back.

"Oooh, right. There we go… How are you doing?"

"Great! I managed to score a B on my recent test, so that's worth celebrating." She beamed as the old woman nodded.

"That _is_ good… And who is _this_ handsome man?" She asked me. I blinked. Did the world just Groundhog Day me?

"Erm… Um… Shane…" My tone, inflection, and even my voice were different in contrast to the almost repetitive nature of Honoka's conversation with the old woman.

"Well, don't be shy, Shane. Come, tell me a bit about yourself…" As the old lady said that, I recalled a disease that we learned in school, one which has the signature trait of forgetting things. As soon as I recalled the name of it being Alzheimer's, I just muttered out:

"Oh no…" Then proceeded to speak. "Well, I moved to Japan to help my cousin go through a rough time. She just happened to be tutoring Honoka yesterday and we just kinda decided to go here together. That's basically it." I said.

"That sounds wonderful! I hope you two have a wonderful day…" She gave a smile, which seemed to be my signal to get out before she repeats the song and dance. Though Honoka left with me, so perhaps she knew that as well.

* * *

The third person we met already had a visitor. We managed to catch him as he was leaving…

Now, the wise old man and the Alzheimer's leading to a repeat were odd, but what took the cake was seeing a man in the black robes of a priest. The man looked to be in his late 30's, maybe 40's, his eyes hard to see as they seemed to be squinting, and he had short, reddish brown hair with a small goatee.

"Ah, Minister Sakura, a pleasure to see you!" Honoka grabbed his hand and hopped a bit.

"A pleasure to see you too, Kanami. I assume you're making your rounds in the hospital?" He asked.

"Yeah! You?" As she asked him, Minister Sakura frowned.

"I just finished giving Kurosawa his last rites." The phrase seemed to hit Honoka just as much as me.

"What? The doctors said he was fine a week ago!" Honoka's voice began to crack for the first time.

"These kinds of things tend to happen. One minute a person seems to be cured, but the next, they'll be on death's door. It's sad, but such is the way of life. Rest assured, he's not in pain at this very moment, so if you wish, you may visit him." As he said that, Honoka rushed into the room. I, on the other hand, was interested in the priest.

"I don't mean to keep you from leaving, Father, but I'm surprised to see a Christian priest in Japan. You don't see much religion these days and if you do, it's mostly Shinto." I said.

"Yes. Though in this day and age, faith is what one needs to persevere. That's why I became a priest. To pass my teachings of faith onto others so that _they_ can use them as hope." Minister Sakura took a look at me.

"That's… pretty admirable, I have to admit. Though, I'm not exactly a man of faith myself. The only time I go to church outside of weddings, funerals, and the like, is around Easter and Christmas." As I said that, Minister Sakura grouped two of his fingers and thumb together, and motioned them in front of me in the sign of the cross.

"It is okay. So long as you eat and drink from the body of Christ, you are faithful in his eyes." He said.

"Well, that's one way of looking at it…" I gave a half-hearted smile. After an awkward second or two, I put my hand out. "Name's Shane." Sakura gave a kind grin and shook it. It took a moment before he pulled it away and his smile turned into a frown.

"You have doubt on your mind." He said.

"H-huh? What?" I was honestly shocked with what he said. Did… Did he know that through shaking my hand? He sat down on a bench next to the room where Kurosawa was and I sat next to him.

"It's okay, you can tell me anything. What troubles you?" He asked me.

"... Well…" I pouted. "About a month ago, my aunt and uncle died in a car crash and my cousin was the sole survivor. It just so happened that I was to transfer to Japan as per a cultural exchange program so I decided to move in with her and help her cope… But now I'm starting to think that it might have been a bad idea."

"There are no such things as bad ideas. You made a decision that you believed was in everyone's best interests." He said. I just sighed as tears began to shed from my eyes.

"Yeah… But… Why? Why did it have to be like this? Why did they have to die?" I began to cry as Minister Sakura held me.

"What I'm about to say might contradict the teachings you've learned. I'm sure you've heard the term 'God has a plan'?" He asked. I nodded, though I gritted my teeth. "I don't believe that… Though, there's some truth to it. There's a greater plan beyond our comprehension. Strings of fate that tie and bind us together. Karma. We're all here for a specific reason, a specific purpose… And when that time comes where we'll fulfill it, that's when we know what to do."

"S-so… You're saying it's… fate?" I asked.

"Not all of it. The car accident was that. An accident. However, your cousin surviving, you being able to move in with her, even us meeting… I feel like _that_ was meant to be. We might not know it yet, but maybe the fact that we're seeing each other for the first time could be key to something important. I'm not a fortune teller, but I _do_ believe that fate has brought us together." He said. I stopped crying as he let go of me.

"... Hey, Father… If it's okay with you, I wouldn't mind going to your church…" As I said that, he gave a sigh and shook his head.

"I'm afraid that fate has dealt me a bad hand… As of tomorrow, I am to be excommunicated from my order for sharing ideals like this to people. How funny that the last thing I am to do as a priest is deliver someone's last rites." He kept a smile on his face in spite of what he said.

"I'm guessing this is part of the plan then?" I asked.

"One can hope. In the end, hope is the one thing that truly brings salvation." We sat there for a good minute before…

 **Cough… Cough…**

I heard someone's cough. In contrast to the old people, this cough seemed to belong to someone young. Minister Sakura seemed to notice my body perk up. He got up and patted me on the back.

"Perhaps fate has brought you here for more than just _our_ meeting." As he began to walk away, I looked to where the cough came from… The room in front of me, just one number away from Kurogawa's…

The door was open, allowing me to see the person in the room. As I predicted, she was a young girl, around Madoka's age. She seemed to have just woken up, probably due to the cough she had. The first thing that caught my eye were some red-rimmed glasses on the side of the bed. They became even more eye-popping as I saw the girl pick them up and wear them over her purple eyes.

"H-huh?" Her voice was quiet, almost sensitive sounding. Everything about her, from her glasses, to her black twintail braided hair, to even her being in a hospital bed, it seemed to indicate that she was fragile… And yet… There was a beauty to her that I couldn't put my finger on. Maybe it was the way the sun's light was let in, making her look like something out of a Renaissance painting. Whatever the case, I felt like time itself stopped. We were both looking at each other in the eye.

For whatever reason, I felt as though I should approach her. I got up from the bench.

"Erm… Is it okay if I come into the room?" I asked. She paused, as though to process what I said, then spoke up.

"Y-yes… I don't see a problem with that…" She said. I entered the room as I could see her blush. For that brief moment, it was just the two of us. Nothing else mattered. I still felt like I was frozen in time. "S-sorry… I… I don't usually have people visit me."

"Well, _I_ could visit…" I gave her a smile. As she looked at me, she seemed puzzled, even confused. I soon caught myself… What was I saying? I barely know her and already I'm considering being friends with her.

I sat next to the girl in the hospital bed. All the while, I looked at her and noticed all the cute things about her. The glasses she wore, the frown that she kept on her face, even her hospital gown seemed cute.

But what swept me off my feet the most was her voice, especially when I asked for her name.

"I'm Akemi… Homura…" Akemi… Even her _name_ sounded cute. And from a shy sounding voice, too. I was all too tempted to cuddle or even kiss her. However, I stayed firm. I thought back to what Hitomi said about limerence and with that, thought back to every girl I came across. Each one I fell in love with in one way or another… But Akemi… I looked around.

From how empty her tables were, the lack of get-well-soons and flowers, she didn't seem to be the kind to get much visitors. As far as I'm concerned, I'm the first person she's seen in weeks.

"You said that people don't often visit you… Does that include your parents?" I asked her. She nodded.

"Mom and Dad are often away on business trips. Last time I saw them was a couple of years ago…" Akemi said.

"It sucks to be alone, huh?" I gave a pause before I spoke up. "I'm like that too. I always hated the idea of being lonely. It's… almost scary." I remembered the time I got seperated from Honoka on our trip to the hospital…

"So… how do you cope with it?" Akemi asked. That was a question for the ages. I simply had no idea what to say…

Then I thought back to all the people I met since I arrived…

Mami, my big sister of a cousin…

Sayaka, the beautiful yet feisty tomboy…

Madoka, the cute, cuddly girl next door…

Hitomi, the elegant lady-like friend…

Honoka, the kind and caring girl who helps out whenever she could…

That feeling of limerence… It was there for a reason… I wasn't simply falling in love with them… I found them to be great companions…

"I make friends." I held out my hand. "My name is Shane. I'm currently living with my cousin in Mitakihara. If you like, I can come visit you from time to time." As I said that, Akemi took a moment… then smiled.

"That would be wonderful…" She smiled and shook my hand… I felt her soft, frail fingers slightly touched my palm and beamed. This was all the skinship I needed for now. I heard a door open and realized Honoka had probably just finished her chat.

"Well, I'm going to get going, but hope to see you again soon!" I waved to Akemi and left the room. As I did, Honoka joined me, wiping her tears from her meeting with Kurosawa.

"I'm kinda tired… Wanna come home, Shane?" Honoka asked me.

"Yeah…" I looked around for Minister Sakura, but couldn't find him. I instead gave a mental thanks to him. Though it wasn't his intent, he helped straighten out my mind.

* * *

The ride home was less packed, though it was likely because it was a Sunday evening.

"How was today?" Honoka asked.

"Excellent! I don't think I have any regrets." I said to her.

"That's great! I hope we can do this again sometime." Honoka said.

"I hope so too." I kept the meeting between me and Akemi to myself as a sort of momento to look back at. Though, what had me even more happy was coming back to Mami. My thoughts were to give her a great big hug…

* * *

We got off the bus and went our separate ways. While it was late at night, I managed to safely get to my place without any trouble…

I got to my house and, with a spare key that Mami gave me when I moved in, unlocked the door.

"Mami, I'm ho-"

I paused the moment I heard crying. I slowly walked into the apartment. Not a single light was on save for a dim light from the living room…

I approached it and saw Mami, dressed in a small red camisole and underwear, knelt in front of the triangular glass table. The only thing on that table was a framed picture. It didn't take long for me to realize what she was crying to. She looked so enraptured to the picture of herself with her parents that she didn't realize I was there until I got close to her.

"O-oh… Shane…" Mami quickly wiped her face, though it didn't last for even a second as she teared up again. I sat next to her and looked at the photograph of her parents… As I did, I trembled before I wrapped my arm around Mami and held her. For the first time since I heard about it, I mourned for my aunt and uncle's death… Mami joined me in the crying and before long, it was too unbearable to sit up straight, and so we flopped onto the ground.

"I'm sorry… I'm supposed to put on a brave face a-and…" Before Mami could continue, I spoke up.

"No… _I'm_ sorry… I'm here to help you and… I can't even do that…" I held Mami tightly. "I promised I'd be at your side… Yet…" Mami shook her head and stroked my hair.

"It's okay… You're still growing… So long as you're with me now… Then I can be… br…" She tried to force the words before she blubbered.

"No... You may be the older one... But I'm technically the man of the house. I need to help you as much as you need to help _me_. So... That's why... I'll help you... When you feel lonely, let me know..." With that, I kissed her on the lips. Mami stopped crying and nodded. "Now... Let's get some sleep..." I got up with Mami. While we loved the bed, we were both pretty tired and thus, we made do with a nearby beanbag chair.

Mami laid down first, followed by me, nestled onto her soft, warm body as I laid my head down on her chest. Both were so comfortable that I wanted _this_ to be where I sleep from now on. We slept with _me_ having a protective arm over her body...


	8. Madoka's Birthday

Morning was hectic as hell as Mami tried to bake a cake ready. While it was nice to see Mami wearing an apron, my mind was fixated on having the cake ready for Madoka's birthday.

"Shane, are you _sure_ this is a good idea?" Mami asked.

"Yeah! What's a more perfect birthday present than _another_ cake!?" I said. I watched her carefully, as it was the first time she actually made a cake. My mom told me how her father was a talented patissier. Not to the degree of Oren Pierre Alfonzo, but rather good for his time. Mami seemed to have inherited that talent and I wished to learn as well…

Before long, Mami finished a simple, one layer cake coated with pink frosting, the sides lined with a red fondant that was the width of a ribbon.

"You sure you don't want me to bring it over?" Mami asked me. I thought about it. Mami was almost always out of the house, sometimes not coming back until late at night. Considering how she always leaves shortly after school, sometimes even _right_ after, I knew I was making the right decision.

The trouble, however, is keeping the cake intact. Fortunately, I came up with a solution. It was six in the morning. Thankfully, we were light sleepers if we're not in bed. I'd meet up with Madoka at her place, hand the cake over to her mom in secret, and then head to school while she chills it with the _other_ cake… If she _has_ one. Best case scenario, she _does_ , worst case scenario, she _doesn't_.

In any case, this would be a great present for Madoka.

* * *

Thankfully, I managed to get over to Madoka's house just on time. She was still getting ready when I knocked on the door and so, Madoka's mom answered it.

"Huh? Oh, it's you." She said.

"Hey, Miss Kaname. I got Madoka some cake, if that's okay." I handed her the box. Her eyes lit a bit before she took it.

"That's rather thoughtful. Wished the guys at work did the same for me." She muttered the last sentence as she took the box.

"Guess I'll wait for Madoka?" I asked.

"Nah, you can come in." She let me into the house as I took off my shoes. I sat with Madoka's dad and little brother.

"Couldn't help but overhear. You brought Madoka some cake?" The father asked. I blushed and looked away.

"Kinda want that to be a surprise…" I said.

"Ah, consider my lips sealed!" He made a zipping motion across his lips.

"Cake! Cake!" Madoka's brother cheered. Madoka came down and joined us.

"Oh! Shane! You decided to come early?" Madoka asked.

"Yeah. Just to give you a good ol' happy birthday and all that." I smiled.

"That's good, but save that for tonight, okay? Wihihi…" She said.

"I will… So, what's happening? Mind me asking, that is…"

"Well, there's this all-you-can-eat buffet that gives you free meals on your birthday if you're interested." Madoka said.

"Hmm… Sure, I wouldn't mind." I resisted the urge to check my wallet. Even if I didn't have enough, Mami seemed to have the funds to back me up. While she's mostly absent after school, I could catch her during my lunch. I shot her a quick text saying how I might need extra money for tonight's dinner, then focused back at Madoka.

* * *

We had our breakfast before we got going to school, meeting up with Sayaka and Hitomi. While the simple chat about homework helped put my mind at ease for a bit, it had me thinking back to Mami's absence…

"Huh? Something wrong, Shane?" Sayaka asked me. I gulped and spoke up.

"I'm not sure if Mami is doing her homework… At least, I don't think so… I never see her doing it…" I said.

"She's out of the house most of the time, right?" Hitomi commented. "She's probably cramming for college. People around that age do that."

"Yeah, and soon, Madoka will be cramming too!" Sayaka gave Madoka a hug. She often holds Madoka at least _once_ during our walks. Hitomi and I shared another awkward look. Were it not for Sayaka's crush on Kamijou, the guy she visits at the hospital from time to time, we'd be convinced she was in love with Madoka. I often watch Sayaka "play" with Madoka, if only to hear the cute noises Madoka makes in her struggles. I was tempted to join in, but that'd leave Hitomi out of it.

Hitomi seemed like the straightest minded person out of all of us. Sayaka often has a romantic view of life, Madoka can get very quiet at times, and I have my whole relationship with Mami on top of my hormonally charged fantasies. Hitomi, however, didn't have any of that. Outside of Kamijou, if Hitomi needed to speak her mind about something, she would. I guess that's what I admire the most about her, even if my only feelings of love for her were remembering that daydream of making out with her. So, more often than not, to tame the wild beast known as my limerence, I often stick close to Hitomi.

Eventually, Sayaka stopped toying with Madoka and we continued on our way to school.

* * *

Classes breezed by and with the call of the final bell, everyone was assigned to cleaning duty. I took this time to coordinate with the girls, namely the rendezvous point. Thankfully, it wasn't far from where we were: We'd meet up after 5 at the Yamato-han Buffet.

I was no stranger to the concept of an all-you-can-eat. You wait to get seated, but once you _do_ , you don't need to wait for a waitress, except for possibly getting a drink. Instead, you simply get off your seat and go over to one of the tables that have a nearly infinite amount of food on it, grab your favorites, and eat. All for a conveniently fixed price. Didn't matter if you ate just one steak or twenty pounds of wings, you'd still pay about twenty to thirty dollars.

Mami seemed to be very generous, giving me about the equivalent to sixty dollars. She didn't even seem to mind if I kept the change or not. Where did she get this money from? I assume from some sort of insurance or will from her parents or maybe…

Just maybe…

"Something wrong, Shane?" Madoka asked me.

"Huh? O-oh… Just… Unsure what to have. So many good choices…" Perhaps the biggest problem of an all-you-can-eat. I needed to decide on _something_ …

"Let's eat grilled meat toniiiight!" Thankfully, a loud and admittedly obnoxious guy from across the table got up and arched his back and neck towards a friend of his. I nodded and got up.

"Grilled meat sounds right about now." I got up and followed the man in the orange jumpsuit, only for Hitomi to get up as well. We made our way to a hot food bar as I took a plate and started to grab some chicken.

"She likes you, you know." Hitomi said.

"Wh-wha-who?" I nearly burnt my hand on the silver pot containing the rest of the chicken.

"Madoka. The day after you slept over, she not only began wearing her hair differently, but she seemed a lot happier with your presence." Hitomi didn't pay any mind to the meats, only moving when I did.

"Ah… That obvious?" I asked.

"But… do you like her too?" Hitomi asked back.

"Well…" I blushed.

"Madoka's a nice girl. She always helps out people when she can… But… I don't think she's doing it _because_ she's kind… She's starved for affection." By this point, we were at a large, hot metal surface where fish were being flame-broiled. I kept away from the flames, my body close to Hitomi's.

"Is she? She doesn't seem like that." I waited for the flames to die down as I took one cut of fish.

"She's shy, always puts others before herself, and you're the only other friend she had made other than me and Sayaka." Hitomi eyed the fish before she took her own cut. "I'm telling you as her friend… If you have feelings for her, _true_ feelings for her, then face them. I don't like to have her be led on only for you to change your mind and fall for someone else… Although…" She stopped, then pulled me away from Madoka and Sayaka's vision. "I wouldn't mind if you had feelings for Sayaka as well… She's also the kind of person who's starved for affection." She smirked.

"... Are you asking me to go out with Sayaka so that you could have Kamijou to herself?" I asked her. She didn't respond, but merely took me by the arm and dragged me to the table.

"Madoka was planning to have a sleepover tonight, so perhaps that could be your chance to clear things up." She told me. We sat back at the table as Sayaka raised an eyebrow.

"Something up?" I asked her. It was rhetorical. I knew she was thinking about what Hitomi said to me. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she thought that Hitomi was hitting on me or vise versa.

"Nah, just that you have quite a lot of meat." As she said that, I looked at my plate… Crap! So much beef and fish! How the hell was I going to finish this? As my eyes widened, Madoka, Sayaka, and Hitomi all had their own, cute laughter.

* * *

We finished dinner and headed to the Kaname house. Once we got there, Madoka was given a large cake as we sang Happy Birthday. After the candles were blown out, we all had cake. Admittedly, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that being with Madoka was a lot like having cake… Both were very sweet.

As far as presents were concerned, Madoka received some standard stuff. A lot of money from her parents, a hug from Tatsuya, a CD containing some idol songs from Sayaka, and a very adorable pink dress from Hitomi that almost made her look like a princess… Not that she felt like one already. My cake, however, was the one that stood out.

"Man, I'm jealous! You're getting _two_ cakes for your birthday!?" I can still remember Sayaka's surprised tone in her voice. During the celebration, I tried to give Mami a call… Sure enough, I was sent to voicemail after a few rings. It was gonna be another night of sleeping over.

Thankfully, I managed to bring my own pair of pajamas, a pair of boxer shorts and a tanktop (just in case the girls didn't like me being topless), as well as a fresh school uniform for tomorrow so we didn't have to take a pause to get some at Mami's house. Finally, the moment of truth came as the three of us, each in our pajamas, were in Madoka's room.

"No way, you were dressed in Madoka's PJ's?" Sayaka had a bit of a chuckle as she wiped her eye. "Man, I'd do anything to see you in them." She smiled as we recounted the first time I slept over.

"I mean, they were really comfortable." I muttered as I heard Madoka's "wihihi".

"It's a shame Hitomi had to leave though…" Sayaka sighed. While the reason why Hitomi left was because she wanted to get some homework done, I feel like she wanted to give me and Madoka, possibly Sayaka as well, some room to bloom. "King's Game isn't really fun with just three players." I had a brief idea of what King's Game was.

If I recall, it was a game where you and other players pick up sticks, all but one being numbered, with the remaining one being red. Whoever got red was the "King" and would request the "numbers" to do something. It sounded like a fun game, but I realized it could get lewd very quickly.

"How about Truth or Dare?" Admittedly, I never went to a sleepover, especially a group sleepover like this one, and so I relied mostly on the teen drama movies I'd see on the Family Channel. It was the first one I thought of next to painting nails, since I'd rather die than see pink nail polish on my feet.

"Toruse or Dea? How does that work?" Madoka asked.

"Well, one person asks another a question that they must be truthful in. If they refuse, then they do something the questioner says, a _dare_. Kinda like King's Game, only without the numbers." I said.

"That might be fun! Alright, Madoka. Have you studied for tomorrow's quiz?" Sayaka asked. Madoka blushed and muttered.

"W-well… Not really." Madoka said.

"Heh, figures. No worries, I didn't study either." Sayaka gave a small smirk as Madoka looked to me.

"So… Shane, do you prefer your eggs sunny side up or over hard?" Madoka asked. A rather odd question, but one I knew the answer too.

"Well, sunny side up. That way I can use the yolk to dip sausages in." I said.

"Weird… But that sounds cool." Sayaka said.

"Mm… You should have us try that soon!" Madoka said.

"Maybe I will." With that, I turn to Sayaka… With no idea what to ask her. Sayaka was a mixture of an open book and an enigma to me. Madoka and I both know about Kamijou and her affections towards him, but other than that, I have nothing I wanted to pry from her. I _could_ just dare her outright, but that invites a similar problem of what do I dare her to _do_.

"What's your favorite food?" I asked Sayaka.

"Hmmm… That's a toughie… I'd like to say udon? Now… I have a question for _you_ …" I mentally prepared myself. "Do you like Madoka?" There we go.

"Eh? Wh-wha?" Madoka's eyes widened.

"Oh, it's obvious! You two can make excellently cute lovey-dovey eyes!" Sayaka said. Madoka and I both blushed. Well, it was time to confess. That… Or…

"Dare!" I said. Sayaka blinked a bit before she spoke up.

"Okay, I dare you to kiss whoever you like in this room!" … Shit. She cornered me. Welp… Confession time…

"... Okay…" I breathed in and kissed Madoka on the cheek. There was more red on her face than there was pink in her hair.

"Well, that settles that…" Sayaka said with a grin.

"S-s-shane… Uh… Uh…" Madoka stammered as she tried to forget what happened. "Do you… Like _Mami_? Your cousin?" Madoka asked.

"H-huh? What do you mean?" I asked her.

"... You're often concerned about her. I saw you try to call her at least a few times. Not to mention that you were upset about her not answering you when you were over at my house." I wanted to say yes, but…

"Woah woah woah! Like… You have a _crush_ on Mami?" Sayaka's question, especially with her tone of voice, made me remember what it'd be like in my country. The judging eyes, the patronizing passive aggressiveness, and the utter feeling that every future meeting with people will have them think back to my incest.

"... Dare." I said. Madoka took a moment to figure out what to have as a dare.

"I… dare you to… kiss Sayaka!"

"WHAT!?" Sayaka and I tried to keep our voices silent.

"You surprised me with having Shane kiss me, so payback!" Madoka pouted at Sayaka.

"Hey! I didn't know Shane was gonna go through with..." She looked at me and realized what she said. "Ooooh no..." Sayaka frowned, then looked at me. She blushed and accepted her fate, though from her tense body, I knew to be hesitant. Despite that, I puckered up… I was going to kiss Sayaka and no one would object…

No one…

Except me.

The moment my lips were about to touch her cheek, I stopped.

"I love her!" I said and put my hand down. Sayaka sighed in relief. "Is that what you want to hear? I'm in love with my cousin…" I muttered. I waited… Now, my very life is put on trial. I'm caught red-handing showing feelings… showing feelings of an almost human nature…

"Shane… It's okay." Madoka patted me on the shoulder.

"Yeeeesh… I figured you were close, but not _that_ close!" Sayaka said. Madoka gave Sayaka a brief glare before she focused to me. "There's nothing wrong about having feelings for your cousin. In fact, having them is actually really great! It means you care deeply for her well-being!"

"Yeah… That said…" I couldn't help but look at Sayaka as I saw her face contorted in confusion. "Okay. Last truth or dare, then we should head to bed… This is for _both_ of you girls. Are…" I knew I was gonna pretty much give myself away with this… But I needed to face those feelings. "Would you be willing to share a person you love with someone else?" And I prepared to have the world devour me.

"Well… If it means everyone is happy…" Madoka smiled, though Sayaka just shook her head.

"Okay, yeah, this is too weird for me… I'm headin' to bed." As Sayaka got up and onto the bed, Madoka looked at me.

"It sounds like a wonderful idea, Shane." Madoka's expression put me in a very relaxed state. She too went to bed as I followed her.

Despite Sayaka's balking at the idea, she didn't seem to mind me being in the same bed as her and Madoka. Though, it might be because Madoka seemed to be insistent to be in the middle. I think Madoka took my words to heart, allowing me and Sayaka to share our affection to her…

It felt extremely relaxing, as I saw Sayaka spoon Madoka. As Sayaka's arms wrapped around Madoka, Madoka gave a small squeal of delight. Madoka, in turn, held me tightly with her arms. The three of us were in this weird cuddle burrito. Madoka was stuck in the middle, with me hugging her front and Sayaka hugging her back. Sayaka and I shared a bit of a look, but, admittedly, Madoka's body was so comfortable that we simply wiped out within five minutes. The last feeling I could remember was my feet stuck in a small pile of both Madoka's and Sayaka's feet.


	9. Arc 1 Epilogue

Morning broke through as I woke up, I had the feeling of my face buried into Madoka's chest, followed closely by a soft pair of lips on my forehead.

"Rise and shine." Madoka smiled. "How did you sleep?"

"Great. It felt like I was being held by an angel…" As I said that, Madoka blushed.

"Oh… My hug wasn't _that_ nice…" She said.

"How about you?" I asked back.

"Yeah, I slept soundly. That's why right now, I'm already feeling clear-headed. Sleep is important!" Madoka said.

"And Sayaka?" Before I tilted my head up to look, Sayaka bobbed her head up.

"Good morning…" Sayaka groggily said. "Say, can we sleep for a little while longer? It… feels safe with you…" Sayaka said. Madoka hummed a bit.

"Well, only for five more minutes. I need to wake my mom up, after all." As she said that, I held onto her and embraced everything about her. Her warmth, her smell, her softness, even her voice. After this morning, it'll be hard for us to have a relationship now that I outed my love for my cousin.

* * *

We got up and ready for school, shortly after we got our breakfast. The three of us walked in an awkwardly spread formation, with me being behind Sayaka and Madoka. We barely shared a word with each other, only a glance between me and Madoka. It was like this for a bit before we stopped to see Hitomi having a conversation with a person who seemed to be pretty taller than her with blonde hair, pigtails tied into…

Drills…

"Oh! There you guys are!" Hitomi waved to us as Mami turned her head to me. Instantly, Sayaka looked over to me with a deadpan as I walked over to her.

"Morning, Mami." I said.

"Morning, Shane. I was just telling Shizuki about what would complement English tea." Mami said.

"Your cousin has quite the cultured taste. If it's okay with you, I wouldn't mind if she walks with us." Hitomi said.

"O-of course!" I immediately jumped to an answer without even thinking of the implications. Mami just smiled as we continued onto school. I came up to Mami, my hand near hers as we locked fingers. I could feel Sayaka stare daggers at me, though before I could even see if I was right, Madoka went next to me and held my hand as well.

"I heard so much about you from Shane. You seem like a very nice person, Mami." Madoka said to her.

"Oh stop, you flatter me too much…" Mami blushed. I heard Sayaka groan a bit before she ran up to Madoka and held her hand.

"Don't get _too_ comfy, Madoka! I'm still gonna make you my wife!" Sayaka smirked as now _Madoka_ was blushing. Hitomi just looked at all of us and, while she had a concerned look at Sayaka, she glanced over to me and gave a wistful smile. Somehow I knew that she liked the outcome I made.

"Shane…" Mami kept her voice soft and low. " I'm glad it wasn't long before I felt a connection with you." I gave her a smile. I thought back to Honoka and Akemi. Who knows if they also wouldn't mind being in this group. Though, I felt a little more at peace knowing that the people I held close to my heart in the month since I moved here have held me close to theirs.

I wouldn't have to be afraid of being lonely anytime soon…

* * *

 _Meanwhile, one month later…_

"Scram, ya runt!" A shopkeeper pushed a skinny girl with long, messy red hair out onto the street. The impact scratched her cheek and drew blood. He cared not for her expression and just sneered. "Before I call the cops on yer ass!" He slammed the door as the girl winced. She held out something that she kept close to her chest: an apple.

Before she was about to take a bite into it, she noticed that a good part of it was smashed in. Her eyes watered a bit before she pounded her bloodied fist into the ground.

 _You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you?_

The red-haired girl looked for whoever spoke.

 _I can be your last hope…_

She managed to find what she considered the source, though, as it stood from a lightpost, she was only able to see the silhouette of a cat. But… That's weird… Cats can't talk.

 _Just make a contract with me and become a Magical Girl!_

And yet… There it is… A talking cat… Could it _really_ bring her out of her situation? Her state of emotions pushed her to making her decision…

One that would spell the beginning of a long road of suffering for Shane...


	10. Back to the Fairytale, Back to the Show

A month has passed since Madoka's birthday. Things have quieted down since then as I had completely adjusted to my life in Mitakihara. Mami's continuing periods of absence had lost all concern and mystery and is now just a fact of life. The thought of her being a prostitute was still there, but that turned into the more relaxed version known as compensated dating.

I never asked Mami about her job, nor did I worry too much about it. If she was gone, I'd have Madoka, Sayaka, Hitomi, or Honoka to hang out with. Though, I often spent most of my time (and money) to head to the hospital to give Akemi a visit. Of the times I had seen her, she was often lonely. Today was just another day for me to visit her, though, not in the usual way as I normally transit.

I never liked taking the train in urban Japan. It seemed like, no matter what time I picked, it'd always be crammed full of people, forcing me to stand in what felt like a rickety caboose.

I was only talked into taking the train because of Madoka. She doesn't know it, but she has quite a silver tongue with her voice, something that had calmed me down during our trip to the hospital.

I had been debating with myself about involving the other girls to make hospital visits with me, as I viewed that as me hanging out with Honoka. What made me decide to go was the idea that, if I were to have Akemi meet girls her age, that it might expand her circle of friends…

That and I guess talking about her to Madoka got her excited to meet her.

By the time the train stopped at our destination, Madoka dragged me out of the crowd. I then led her to the hospital, told the receptionist at the desk that we're here to visit Akemi, and be led to her.

* * *

While we didn't take long to get to Akemi's room, I stopped for a moment as I looked in the room parallel to hers, seeing an empty bed by the side. Kurosawa, the person who occupied the room a month ago, had passed away. It's most likely the reason why Honoka doesn't swing on by to visit nowadays.

Madoka entered the room and waved to Akemi. At first, Akemi blushed and retracted herself, but as Madoka approached her, she slowly relaxed.

"Sorry about that…" I entered the room. "I _did_ say I'd be bringing in a friend last time I was here… Probably should have let you know ahead of time that we were visiting." I gave a light chuckle.

"N-no, it's fine… I was just a little surprised." As Akemi said that, Madoka came towards her.

"Hello! I've heard a lot about you from Shane." Madoka said.

"And you're…" She took a moment to think. "Kaname, was it?"

"Yeah. Though, you can call me Madoka." She said. Instantly, Homura looked away and fiddled with her fingers.

"Isn't that a little… much?" Akemi asked.

"Nah, she told me to call her that too." I said.

"But… you and Kaname are…" As Akemi said that, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"It's fine. Actually, would it be okay if I called you Homura?" Madoka asked her.

"Are… you sure? It's… kinda a weird name…" Homura's voice was silent…

"It's not weird, though. It has the meaning of flames, which I think is awesome!" And, as a sharp contrast to Madoka's upbeat voice, it made me want to step back and admire the two talking to each other.

I listened to their voices as they talked a little more about themselves, things I've already known from both of them. Yet, I didn't grow tired of the repetition… If anything, I was feeling tired over just how pleasant they sounded. It was times like this that made me truly blessed to move to Japan…

* * *

Which made the trip back to Mitakihara all the worse when I was forced to confront two things…

The first, obviously, was the crowded train. At least with the bus, I was able to sit somewhere.

The other was what would await me at home… Or rather, what _wouldn't_ await me. Even though I accepted Mami's absence, it still left me with a cold feeling of isolation, especially in those times where I go to bed and she still hadn't returned home.

"That was fun, wasn't it, Shane? Maybe next time, we can have lunch together!" Madoka told me. I couldn't really respond as I shivered, though it seemed Madoka noticed this. "You okay?" She asked me.

"Just… crammed is… all…" I could feel someone's elbow rub against my rib, almost pressing right into it. I winced in pain, unable to voice my complaint as all it would do is annoy the person. As I was about to let out a soft cry, Madoka wrapped her arms around me.

"Squeeeeze~!" Madoka held me tightly, which didn't even feel painful at all. "This should keep you safe from those people." I gave a light chuckle before I hugged her.

"Squeeeeze~!" I replied. I took a step forward as we edged towards the window of the train, giving us a little more wiggle room, though we were still close to each other. Before long, it felt as though Madoka and I were the only two people in the train. As we fell in close proximity to each other, the allure of her cute face drew me closer and closer, likewise for Madoka…

"Mitakihara Station! Mitakihara Station!" I instantly let go of Madoka with a small peck to the cheek. Madoka gave me a smile and a blush as the train came to a halt. We got off soon after.

* * *

"So, you're okay going home?" Madoka asked me as we walked.

"Yeah. I shouldn't keep sleeping over your place whenever she isn't home. It's gonna be tough, but I'll pull through." I said to her.

"Well, I'm always a phone call away if you need me, Shane." We approached the door leading into my apartment complex and shared a kiss on the lips.

"Text me when you get home." I said. She gave a smile as she went off. I took a moment to think back to what I asked of her on the night of her birthday.

" _Would you be willing to share a person you love with someone else?_ " Madoka and I had been unofficially dating for a month with this in mind, and yet the someone else I had in mind was barely around. I doubt she'd even be waiting for me inside…

And yet, I need to embrace the isolation.

I went into the complex and got to my apartment room… As I opened…

"Huh? Oh! Shane! Welcome home!" Mami's voice instantly filled me with joy as I took off my shoes and went to the living room where she was. As I entered, I slowed to a stop, if only because I saw someone else at the table.

She had a rather tomboyish figure, even more so than Sayaka's due to the lack of a bust. The only thing that made her stand out as a girl was her wearing a denim skirt and long, fiery red hair that was tied into a ponytail.

"My apologies, this is my cousin, Shane. He's staying over at my place." Mami said. Even though I was talkative to people, I couldn't find _anything_ to say to the girl. That _is_ , however, until she gave me her name.

"Hey, the name's Sakura Kyouko." She said with a smile.

"Sakura? As in…" She had the same reddish hair as Minister Sakura, if not _redder_. I hesitated before I bowed. "Sorry… You wouldn't happen to be related to a…" If she _was_ , I didn't want to bring up her father's excommunication. "Sorry again… I'm not sure how to word this but… I might have met your father a while ago. He was offering rites to the people at the hospital."

"Oh! You know my father?" She asked me.

"Yeah. He gave me a push into finding out my place here in Japan. How… How is he?" I braced myself for the worst.

"He's doing great! Just the other day, people came to the church to listen to what he had to say!" Wait, what? Last I checked, he was excommunicated. Did something happen that led to some form of turn around?

"Well, that's quite the change from what he said." A brief musing that slipped out of my tongue… It caused Kyouko to frown slightly before changing into a smile again. "I promised him I'd attend his church, so I guess now's a good time as any… N-not _now_ now, but…" I blushed as Kyouko and Mami laughed.

"It's okay, I understand." Kyouko said.

"I want to hear more about this, Shane. Sit down and enjoy some pie with us." I followed Mami's command to the letter as I sat down and dug into a slice of peach pie. "It's nice that you know her father. It almost feels like fate in a way."

"Yeah…" I delayed taking in another bite. This wasn't the first girl Mami had brought home with her. It was how I met Honoka. If it wasn't for Honoka, I wouldn't have gone to the hospital with her and met Sakura and Akemi. If I didn't meet Sakura, the idea of fate wouldn't have gone into my head… But… now that it has…

How much of me meeting these beautiful girls was just a coincidence and how much of it was really fate pulling at the strings of my karma?


	11. The Best Part

"Shane…" My father had me in the living room. With him and my mom sitting, I knew it was one of those big events. The kind that required me to sit down with them. "I…" He brushed his mustache, unable to find the words. It was my mom that broke the news… and into tears.

"It's Aunt and Uncle Tomoe… They were caught in a car accident and… They…" As soon as I piece together the rest, my body went cold.

"... No…" My father was the first to console me as I cried. I didn't know much about my aunt and uncle, but they were some of the nicest people I knew. Aunt Tomoe was the one who personally taught me to speak Japanese by sending me books that contained phrases for both Japanese and English. Ironically, the first Japanese phrase I learned was 'this is a pen'... In fact, my parents originally planned for me to live with them as per an exchange student program.

"There's… something else that needs to be addressed." My father said. He looked to my mom, who was way too busy crying at the loss of her older sister. "It's your cousin, Mami…" Immediately I pulled away.

"NO! Don't tell me she's…" My dad shook his head, but just as I was about to scream in anguish, he continued.

"No, in fact, it was a miracle. She didn't have a scratch on her." Even though he said that, I still cried. Perhaps the shock of death got to me… "That said…" My mom was finally able to stop mourning and picked up from where my father left off.

"She's going to be alone… Not unless…" At first, my idea was for her to live with us… But as I remembered my exchange program…

"Shane…" My dad said… Suddenly the entirety of the world snapped out of existence as I could see the face of a Japanese teenager with short brown hair.

* * *

"Oi! Earth to Shane!" Nakazawa snapped me out of a trance. It was here that I remembered what caused me to flash back. "So you and Madoka are dating, huh?" That's right… I remembered how Madoka gave me a couple of headpats while I held her earlier in the day.

"... Yeah." Nakazawa chuckled and sat next to me. The class room was both empty and recently cleaned. It was just the two of us.

"That's a surprise. Madoka's a pretty mousy girl. How the hell did you bag her?" Nakazawa asked.

"Well, she wanted me to tutor her in English and one thing led to another…" I left out the rather raunchy details. Didn't want the rumor of Madoka being an easy A to flood the school.

"Eeh, I feel like you could have done better." Nakazawa said.

"How so?" I asked back.

"I mean, there's Mai, that hot girl who sits right next to you!" As he said that, I remembered a girl who looked a little bit like Sayaka if she had a tan. I mean, he has a point, but I didn't feel enough of a "click" to do anything about it. "Hell, Yoko sits next to me and she's possibly an easy 8." Yoko being a girl with long, dull red hair that, admittedly, is rather cute… Though that begged the question.

"Then why haven't you dated her then?" I asked. Nakazawa blushed and muttered.

"Well… She isn't my type." Nakazawa said.

"What is your type, then?" I asked. There was a brief pause as I awkwardly remembered time and time again that our teacher, Ms. Saotome, would often point to Nakazawa to answer questions regarding her failed love life. "Noooooooooooooooooo…"

"Look, you have to understand-"

"You're telling me that I could do better yet you're the one who has the hots for our goddamned teacher!" I said to him.

"That's the best part! Besides, it's not as bad as kissing your cousin, right?" As he said that, I almost fell out of my chair.

"... How did you…"

"No one is that enthusiastic about hugging their cousin the same way they would hug their girlfriend." Nakazawa said. My body felt a little numb before Nakazawa continuined. "Look, I ain't gonna judge you for your tastes so long as you don't judge me, got it?"

"Yeah… I can't really complain with that regard. I guess I like Madoka and Mami because… They're nice people. And sometimes I think that's the best part." I sighed. Before I got up, Nakazawa pulled on my sleeve.

"Look, sorry I brought that up. I just felt it was really weird and I needed to address it before someone else did. You do you, man… That and…" Nakazawa pulled out an advertisement flyer of a haunted house. "Halloween's approaching. That's kinda why I brought up you dating Madoka in the first place. I figured it'd be a fun "test of courage" thing for you and her to check out." He handed it over to me. The price seemed reasonable enough and the distance wasn't far from either of our houses.

"... Thanks." I said. I put the flyer in my pocket and went out…

* * *

"Are you sure you have everything?" My father asked me as I hoisted my luggage over my head.

"Yeah! Yeah! Hurry! We're going to miss the flight!" I said.

"Calm down, sport! It's only midnight. Plane leaves at 6." He said.

"But the TSA! The security checks! All the paying and waiting!" I hopped around, trying to put one of my socks on my foot properly.

"Don't fret. Here…" He helped me with my luggage as the lost weight had me focus on the sock. "This is going to be an eventful moment for you… For all of us. Don't let the stress get to you, though."

"It's not that… It's Mami… I'm…" The sooner I get on that plane, the sooner I can help Mami.

"She's fine. You don't need to worry too much about her. Your mom has been in touch with the social services in her area and they've agreed that Mami can remain at the house." He said.

"But she's going to be lonely, won't she!? I want to be there for her!" I said.

"I admire your enthusiasm, sport, but you need to take this one step at time. First, get dressed." He opened my dresser.

"But I am dressed." I said.

"You look like you're going over to your friends' place for some… What was it, Cod of Dudes?" He took out some long, slender jeans and tossed them onto my bed.

"Call of Duty." I corrected with a chuckle as I took the jeans and went into the closet for some privacy as I changed.

"Point is, you're going to be in another country. It's been quite a while since you've been to Japan, so you need to make your first impression worth it. In fact, see if you can find a dress shirt in there."

"Dad, I'm not going to some prom." I said as I scoured through the dresser for a dress shirt.

"And it's not a business trip. You're allowed to dress casually and you can wear whatever you want once you set foot in Japan, but you're making an important decision here. Things like that are to be done wearing something more formal than just a tank-top and some shorts." Dad said.

"Yeah… I see your point." I came out wearing a plain white dress shirt. Despite a small wine stain on my left sleeve, my dad accepted the outfit.

"Good. Now, your mom's going to drive you to the airport and help you out. I wish I could see you off, but my boss expects some papers done by tomorrow. You know how it is." My dad and I had a sort of cat's in the cradle kind of relationship… Or at least that's how he imagines it. Personally, I didn't mind my dad working. To me, it was simply him doing his part to help the family, especially since he's the breadwinner...

"Nah, I understand." With that, dad and I shared our last hug before my mom entered.

"Are you ready, Shane?" My mom asked… Her voice had a slightly higher-pitched cadance, as though she aged backwards to that of a teenager. It felt similar to...

* * *

"Hey, Shane!" I jumped as I saw Madoka from the corner of my eye. "You're feeling okay?" She asked me.

"Yeah… Fine…" I panted. "Just… reflecting is all." I adjusted my sweater.

"You're going to the hospital again, right?" Madoka asked me as I met up with her in the hallways.

"Nah, not tonight. If you want, I think Honoka is going. You could catch up with her." I said.

"Huh? Why aren't you coming?" Madoka asked me.

"I… Need some air. You go on ahead." I said to her. I jolted in realization before I handed the flyer to Madoka. "Oh, there's this happening on Halloween."

"Ooooh, looks scary! Maybe we should bring Mami along." She said.

"Or Sayaka." I said.

"Or both." As she said that, the ideas in my head germinated…

"Mmm! That's a good idea!" I took a picture of the flyer on my phone,I then sent the picture to Mami and asked her about coming with us to the haunted house.

"Well, see you tomorrow, Shane!" Madoka ran off as I smiled. I sighed and looked out the window. I was deep in thought about how I decided to take off to Japan to help Mami. All because of that idea of fate. How much of that was really a decision I made and how much was just fate pushing me along?

I knew there was a heavy feeling in my chest that only Father Sakura could address. He was the one who implanted the idea in my head to begin with…

So I began my walk to Kazamino…

* * *

At least, that was the idea… As I was walking on the streets of Mitakihara, I couldn't help but notice something at the corner of my eye. I turned to see…

A girl… And she was wearing the Mitakihara school uniform. In fact… I knew her.

She stayed quiet in the class, but everyone knew her simply from the fact that she didn't bring a laptop to school while everyone else had a school-standard one. Even I was issued one despite transferring to the school, though I was only allowed to use it for school and homework should the need for it arise.

As a result, she was given the nickname of "Binbou", Japanese for poverty… I despised that name on the merit that it sounded dangerously close to bimbo. That said, there was merit to the name as I noticed duct tape on one of her shoes, with part of it beginning to peel off. She seemed to be by herself, sitting in an alleyway as rain began to pour down. I was fortunate enough to bring an umbrella…

She wasn't.

"Hey…" I asked her. "What are you doing here?" I asked her. Despite the absolute shit she was in and the very scary implication that she was homeless, she gave a smile that was as bright and pure as Madoka's before she said:

"I'm waiting for my mother."

* * *

[Author's Note: So, originally this was a chapter that revealed that Shane was friends with Ashley Taylor, a character that was exclusive to the NA version of Magia Record. However, I later discovered that making Shane just happen to know Ashley was kinda contrived and so I decided to edit it and sneak in what I would have planned for next chapter.]


	12. Pray for Itou

I invited Poor-chan over to my house to get out of the rain. It was one of the common times when Mami was out of the house, so I didn't need to explain to her why I brought a soaking wet girl over. Speaking of…

"Hey, I don't want you to catch a cold…" As I tried to go upstairs to get some clothes for her to wear, she just giggled.

"No, that's a myth." She shook her head. "If you think about it, the virus doesn't require a person to be wet for easier infection. All being wet _really_ does is shock our immune system for a short while."

"Still, you're gonna be pretty chilly. I'll turn the heater on." I went over and adjusted the thermostat. I turned it slightly before hearing a click and the sound of the heater humming to life. "Sit by that vent over there and you'll get toasty." I point to a metallic vent that's built right into the wall.

Poor-chan did just that, sitting down in front of the vent as it blew hot air. In a way, it made me think of the vent as a modern fireplace. Which made me think…

"I'll make us some hot chocolate." I said. I went to the kitchen. In the days when Mami would be out somewhere else, I took it upon myself to purchase ingredients for simple yet fulfilling recipes. Among these was hot chocolate. This would be good practice for me to have if I ever wanted to make some for Mami or Madoka.

I took a dark chocolate bar from the cupboard and unraveled the wrapper, then coarsely chopped it into bits. I then mixed in some milk and heavy cream over a pot before adding splashes of sugar and espresso. Once the mixture became steamy, I added in the chopped chocolate and let it melt in the pot. After a few minutes of mixing, the result was more akin to a chocolate cream than hot chocolate.

Though, I guess you can still call it _hot_ _chocolate_ if you really think about it.

Serving them up in mugs, complete with a dollop of whipped cream and a few remaining chocolate bits, I went back to Poor-chan, who was enamoured with the heat.

"Here you go." I said to her as I handed her a cup. She took it, then sipped it, only to immediately open her mouth and wince. "S-sorry! I forgot that they were hot!"

"Ith okay." She lisped, the tip of her tongue seemed to have touched the hot chocolate. I gave a sigh and sat next to her.

"I have a bit of a cat tongue myself. Honestly, I make hot chocolate for other people rather than for my own consumption." I said. We waited a few minutes for the chocolate to cool, after which, Poor-chan sipped.

"It's good!" She said.

"I'm glad… I had a few bad batches, but they helped me realize what I need to get right." I sipped my own cup, then tuttered. "It might just be me, but I would have made it just a little sweeter…"

"It's fine as it is." Poor-chan said. She continued to sip, then hummed. "You're a very kind person and I don't even know your name."

"It's Shane. Yours?" I asked.

"Itou." A surname. Makes sense, we only met today.

"I… guess I should ask… Why were you out in the rain?" I asked her.

"I told you. I was waiting for my mother." She replied. I couldn't help but frown.

"How long were you waiting? Few hours?" I asked her. She paused, looked deeply into her cup, then said as I sipped my chocolate…

"About two and… a few months now that I think about it." I immediately spat it out.

"WHAT THE HELL!?" I shouted, though I immediately cleared my throat. "Sorry… What?" I asked.

"... Mother left me after my brother was hospitalized. She told me that he… gambled." She shook her head. "Sorry, I don't really understand what that meant." I gave a harsh sigh.

"Gambling is when you put something on the line in the hopes that you earn twice that amount. If I were to pry, he gambled too much and led to your situation." I said.

"Maybe… My brother's a kind person, like you. He wouldn't have put our family on the line…" Itou said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that. I… just assumed the worst is all…" I said.

"Mother left me and promised she'd return for me… so I'll wait for her." She said.

"... For two years?" I asked.

"Yeah…"

"And you're _still_ waiting?" At this point, I barely touched my chocolate.

"Is it wrong to lose hope?" She asked me.

"... I don't know." I didn't want to tell her, straight up, that her mom has likely left her for good at best and died at worst. I didn't even want to get started on what I think her brother might be up to. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry." I wished I didn't know that one of my classmates was driven into such a disastrous poverty.

"It's okay. You're the first person to have asked about it and… I'm glad." She said. I patted her on the back.

"Why don't you stay over for the night? My cousin doesn't seem to mind guests." I said.

"..." She smiled, then shook her head. "What if mother comes back for me and I'm not there?" She sat her cup down. "I'm sorry, Shane. But I've been away for too long…" She went over and as she opened the door, I heard a large thunder crack followed by loud rain droplets.

"Are you crazy!?" I shouted. She didn't seem to mind and just… went out. "ITOU!" I ran, not even caring to put on any coats or get an umbrella.

"Mother's waiting! I can't stay!" She told me as she became drenched in the rain. It became hard for me to see as water kept splashing against my face.

"SHE ISN'T COMING BACK!" I tried to shout as loud as I could, but just as I mustered up the courage to say it, a flash followed closely by loud thunder muffled my cry. She couldn't hear me and just marched on her way to a thunderstorm. I tried to reach out to her, but I soon tripped and scraped my knee against the ground. It cost me precious seconds, seconds that resulted in her leaving my view, perhaps forever… "ITOU! … Itou…" Knowing it was futile, I retreated back to the apartment.

There, I sat in front of the heating vent, drinking the last of the chocolates… Not even hot enough to enjoy...

* * *

"...ane?" I felt my body rocking back and forth. As my eyes opened, I saw Mami over me.

"Mami? W-what happened?" I asked. The sound of the heating vent was gone.

"You were sleeping in front of the vent. I guess you got caught in the rain?" She asked.

"Yeah… You can say that…" I tried to keep a brave face, but Mami looked at me and pulled me into a hug.

"I'm… I'm sorry I haven't been at home lately." Mami spent several seconds between sentences, as though she was finding the right words to say. "It's just… I'm busy with something important."

"It's… okay… I'm adjusted…" I was still tired and I can feel my body being lifted.

"Mmm… You're getting bigger, Shane. I doubt I'd be able to carry you soon." Mami gave a light giggle, though I just simply wanted to pass out in Mami's arms. I tried not to think about Itou and her situation, about her brother and the status of her brother… All I could hope for is for Itou to be at school tomorrow…

Though, I wonder if it's wrong to _have_ hope at the point she's at...


End file.
